Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday November 18th through Sunday November 24th
The moon is at third quarter on Tuesday the 19th so we’ll start the week with a waning gibbous moon and then will have a waning crescent moon for the rest of the week.
The two brightest planets in our night sky will gradually move closer to one another in our western skies shortly after sunset this week. Venus and Jupiter will start the week about 5 degrees apart and then will be about 1 and a half degrees apart by Sunday. Both planets will be setting at about 7:15 p.m. by the end of the week.
Saturn is up in the southwest at sunset and is setting at 8:50 p.m. at midweek.
In the morning skies, Mars is rising at 4:50 a.m. and Mercury is emerging from conjunction and is rising at 5:40 a.m. by midweek. Look for Mars to the right of the thin waning crescent moon shortly before dawn on Sunday morning.
In space anniversaries this week, Tuesday November 19th marks 50 years since the landing of Apollo 12 on the moon. Commander Pete Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean (who was also a UT alum) worked on the lunar surface for 1 day and 7 hours while Command Module Pilot Richard Gordon orbited the moon. The mission returned to Earth on November 24 with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of Robert Lee Moore Hall is on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 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.
Public viewing at the 9-inch refractor at Painter Hall is on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe and is northeast of the UT Tower.
There will be no viewing on UT campus telescopes next week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.
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.
