texas

skywatchers report


Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for December 6th through the 12th.

The moon is new on the night of Saturday the 11th.

Saturn is rising in the east at around 8:15 this week. The two bright star Castor and Pollux of the constellation Gemini are to Saturn's upper left and form a slight arc with the ringed planet. Orion is in the southeast and the Hydes and Pleiades open star clusters are high in the east at around 9:30.

Mars and Venus are very close together this week in the morning before dawn. Look for them low in the east-southeast.

Jupiter and the Moon will pair up on the morning of December 7th. For viewers in North America east of the Rockies, the moon will actually pass in front of Jupiter in what astronomers call an occultation. Jupiter and the moon will rise at about 2:30 a.m. and for Austin, the occultation will occur around 3:00, while the pair are still quite low in the sky.

For more skywatching tips for the week, check out stardate.org

Public viewing is finished for UT's Fall Semester. Spring semester viewing will resume mid-January. Please call back then for exact times and start dates.

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