Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday April 27th through Sunday May 3rd.
The first full moon for the month of May is on Friday May 1, so we’ll have a waxing gibbous moon for the work week and start into the waning gibbous moon on the weekend. This full moon is known as the Milk Moon, the Flower Moon, and the Corn Moon.
Because the lunar cycle is 29.5 days and May has 31 days, and the full moon is on May 1st, there will be a second full moon at the end of the month, which is now called a “Blue Moon”. That meaning of “Blue Moon” appears to only be about 80 years old and comes from a misinterpretation of a different definition of “Blue Moon” for an article that appeared in Sky and Telescope Magazine in 1946. It was further disseminated by UT’s own StarDate radio program in a segment that aired in 1980.
Venus is still shining brightly in the west at sunset and is setting at 10:20 p.m.
Jupiter is high in the west at sundown and is setting at 1:20 a.m., so it is still visible for several hours after night falls.
In the morning skies, Saturn is rising at 5:30 a.m., followed by Mars at 5:40 a.m., and finally Mercury at 6:10 a.m.
Public viewing at the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building is on Wednesday nights from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. PMA is located on the southeast corner of Dean Keeton and Speedway. Take the elevator to the 17th floor and follow the signs to the telescope. This week will be the final week of public viewing at PMA for the Spring 2026 semester.
Public viewing at the Painter Hall Telescope has finished for the spring 2026 semester. All public viewing on UT campus telescopes will resume in the fall semester.
All events are free and open to all ages, and no reservations are required. Note that viewing times and availability change throughout the year so please check the schedule before planning a visit. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 512-232-4265 for star party status information, which is updated 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled viewing start times.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.
