Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for July 25th through the 31st
The moon is at third quarter in the morning hours of Thursday the 28th.
The bright object low in the western skies is the planet Venus, and the bright object up higher and to the left is the planet Jupiter.
Mars is still rising earlier and getting steadily brighter as it draws closer to the Earth. It is rising at about 12:45 a.m. this week and is at magnitude -0.4 Mars will be just below the moon in the morning hours of the 27th.
If you’ve received an email about Mars being close to the earth in August, you should know that it is incorrect. The events described in the email happened in 2003. Mars will be making its next closest approach to the Earth at the end of October this year, but it will be about 20% farther away than it was in 2003.
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.
