Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday June 5th through Sunday June 11th.
The full moon for the month of June is on Friday the 9th so we'll start the week with a waxing gibbous moon and have a waning gibbous moon for the weekend. This full moon is known as the Flower Moon, the Strawberry Moon, the Rose Moon, and the Honey Moon. This full moon will also have the smallest angular size of any full moon in 2017 since it occurs about 14 hours after the moon is at its farthest point from the Earth in its orbit.
Mars is now low in the west at sunset and is setting about an hour after the sun this week.
Jupiter is now high in the south as the sky darkens after sunset and is setting at 3:05 a.m. at midweek, so there are still several hours of dark time to observe the giant planet.
Saturn is rising at 8:50 p.m. at midweek as it heads towards opposition next week. Look for Saturn just a few degrees from the moon on Friday night.
In the morning skies, Venus is rising at 4 a.m. and is shining brightly for a couple of hours in the pre-dawn sky. Mercury is sinking back towards the sun and is rising about an hour before the sun.
Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of Robert Lee Moore Hall is on Wednesday nights from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. this summer. RLM 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.
Public viewing at the 9-inch refractor at Painter Hall is on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. this summer. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe and is northeast of the UT Tower. To get to the telescope, take the elevator to the 5th floor and exit to the left. Follow the 5th floor hallway to the end and take the staircase through the double doors on the left. Once you reach the 6th floor, go to your right and follow the signs up to the telescope.
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 weather cancellation information, which is updated 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled viewing start time.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.
