Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday June 24th through Monday July 1st.
The moon is at third quarter early in the morning hours of Tuesday the 25th and we'll have a waning crescent moon for the remainder of the week.
Mars and Mercury are still relatively close to one another low in the west after sunset and are both setting just a little after 10 p.m. this week.
Over in the east, Jupiter is rising a little after 7:00 p.m. this week and is setting at 5:20 a.m., so it is still visible for most of the night.
Saturn is rising at 9:15 p.m. at midweek as it heads toward opposition in early July.
Venus is rising in the pre-dawn skies and is up about an hour before the sun.
In space anniversaries this week, Monday July 1 marks 15 years since the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft became the first mission to go into orbit around Saturn. Cassini orbited the ringed planet for a little over 13 years and its mission ended with a controlled entry into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15, 2017.
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 Fridays and Saturdays 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. Take the elevator to the 5th floor and then take the stairs up to the 6th floor and follow the signs to the telescope.
Please arrive at RLM or Painter Hall before 10 p.m. to ensure access to the buildings.
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.
