Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for Monday June 25th through Sunday July 1st.
The moon is full on Saturday the 30th. Depending on what time you went by for the last full moon, this is the second time this phase has occurred in June.
Venus and Saturn are both still in the west and over the course of the week you can watch the two planets move closer and closer together. On the nights of June 30th and July 1st you can see the planets about a degree apart.
Jupiter is visible in the southeast as the sky darkens. Look for the moon alongside Jupiter on Wednesday the 27th. Look for the bright red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius to the lower right of Jupiter. Mars is rising at 2:45 a.m. at midweek.
The space shuttle Atlantis returned to Earth last week after a successful mission at the International Space Station. Astronaut Suni Williams came back to Earth after 194 days 18 hours and 58 minutes in space, and now holds the record for the longest spaceflight of a woman.
Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of Robert Lee Moore Hall is on Wednesday nights from 9 to 10:30 p.m. 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. Please note that there will be no Wednesday night viewing on July 4th.
Public viewing at the 9 inch refractor at Painter Hall is on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe and is northeast of the UT Tower.
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 viewing start time on nights when public viewing is cancelled.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report.
