texas

skywatchers report


Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for July 5th through the 10th.

The moon is new on Wednesday July 6th.

Venus is the bright star-like object in the west at sunset. The other relatively bright object nearby this week is the planet Mercury. The two will be at their closest, about a degree and a half apart, on Wednesday. A slim crescent moon will appear with the pair on the evening of the 8th. Jupiter is the bright object high in the southwest around 9 p.m. Mars rises at about 1:15 a.m. this week.

Over the weekend, the Deep Impact mission successfully sent an 820 pound projectile into Comet Tempel I. The impact threw material out which will be studied through the images captured by the mothership and by astronomers on large telescopes back on Earth. To see images of the impact, logon to deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov

Public viewing at the Painter Hall Telescope is on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 to 11 p.m. this summer. Painter Hall is located on the corner of 24th and Inner Campus Drive, about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe, and just north of the UT Tower.

There will be no Wednesday night viewing at Robert Lee Moore Hall this summer due to roof construction.

All events are free and open to all ages and no reservations are required. Note that star party times and availability change throughout the year. Please call this recording before planning a visit to the telescopes. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 232-4265 for weather cancellation information, which is updated 30 to 60 minutes before viewing start time only on nights when star parties are cancelled.

Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report.