Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday February 9th through Sunday February 15th.

The moon is at third quarter early on Monday the 9th and will be new on Tuesday the 17th, so we’ll have a waning crescent moon in our early morning skies all of this week.

Venus is still very low in the west after sunset as it continues to emerge from conjunction and is setting at 6:55 p.m., just 40 minutes after the sun.

Mercury is also low in the west at sundown and is setting at 7:30 p.m., over an hour after the sun.

Additionally, Saturn is in the west at sunset but is higher than Mercury and Venus and is setting at 9:00 p.m. at midweek.

Jupiter is over in the east in the early evening skies and is still near the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini the Twins. Jupiter is setting at 5:10 a.m. at midweek.

Mars is in our morning skies, rising just 20 minutes before the sun, so it is still lost in the dawn twilight.

In space anniversaries this week, Thursday February 12th marks 25 years since the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous spacecraft, later renamed NEAR Shoemaker, touched down on the asteroid Eros, which it had been orbiting for about a year. As the craft neared the end of its mission, the orbit was gradually lowered, enabling it to become the first mission to successfully soft land on an asteroid. Because the spacecraft touched down undamaged, it was able to transmit from the surface for over two weeks until contact was lost on February 28, 2001.

Public viewing at the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building is on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 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 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. 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 star party status information, which is updated 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled viewing start times.

Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.