Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for Monday June 21st through Sunday June 27th.
The full moon for the month of June is in the morning hours of Saturday June 26th. The full moon of June is known as the Flower Moon, the Rose Moon, the Strawberry Moon or the Honey Moon. Look for the moon in the heart of Scorpius on Wednesday night.
With this full moon, you may be able to catch the end of a partial lunar eclipse Saturday morning. At its greatest, this eclipse will only darken about half of the moon and you will need to be in Hawaii, New Zealand or eastern Australia to see the complete eclipse. Here in Texas, the eclipse will still be in progress as the moon sets just as the sun rises.
The June solstice occurred at 6:28 a.m. Central Daylight Time and marks the longest day and shortest night for those of us in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere it is the shortest day and longest night.
Three planets are lining up in the western skies after sunset. Venus is the lowest and brightest of the trio and sets at 11:10 p.m. at midweek. Mars is a little higher and to the left and looks like an orange star. Mars is setting at 12:30 a.m. this week. Saturn is the highest of the trio and is above and to the left of Mars. Saturn is setting at 1:30 a.m. at midweek. Jupiter is rising as Saturn is setting and Uranus is still nearby, about a degree and a half to Jupiter's upper right.
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. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 232-4265 for weather cancellation information, which is updated 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled start time when a viewing is cancelled.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report.
