Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday September 26 through Sunday October 2.
The Moon will be at first quarter late on Sunday October 2, so we’ll have a waxing crescent moon in our early evening skies all week.
Saturn is high in the southeast by 8:00 p.m. and is setting at 3:50 a.m. at midweek.
Jupiter is at opposition on Monday the 26th and will rise at sunset and set at sunrise and will be visible all night. Jupiter will be at its closest to Earth at opposition and will be 591 million kilometers – or 367 million miles – away that night, the closest our two planets have been since 1963. The next time they will be this close will be in October 2129.
Mars is rising at 11:10 p.m. and is continuing to grow in angular size and brightness it moves towards its own closest approach to Earth in early December.
Mercury is rising at 6:30 a.m. at midweek, about 50 minutes before sunrise. Venus is up just 30 minutes before the sun as it moves toward conjunction in the latter half of October.
In space anniversaries this week, Tuesday September 27th marks 15 years since the launch of the Dawn spacecraft on a mission to study two of the largest bodies of the asteroid belt. Dawn entered orbit around the asteroid Vesta in 2011 and then left the orbit of Vesta to enter orbit around the dwarf planet, and largest member of the asteroid belt, Ceres in 2015. The spacecraft ran out of propellant in 2018, when its mission officially ended, although it currently remains in a stable but uncontrolled orbit around Ceres.
Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building is on Wednesday nights currently from 8 to 10 p.m. PMA 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 currently 8 to 10 p.m. 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 then take the stairs up to the 6th floor 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 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.
