Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday October 19th through Sunday October 25th.

The moon was at first quarter on Sunday the 18th and will reach full very late on Sunday the 25th or early in the morning hours of Monday the 26th (depending on your time zone), so we’ll have a waxing gibbous moon all of this week. This full moon is known as the Dying Grass Moon, the Hunter’s Moon and the Falling Leaves Moon.

Venus is in inferior conjunction with the sun on Saturday when it will pass between the Earth and the Sun and move from our evening skies into our morning skies.

Mercury is moving back towards the sun and its next conjunction and is setting at 7:45 p.m. at midweek.

Over in the east, Saturn is up in the east-southeast as the sky darkens after sunset and is visible for most of the night. Look for Saturn below the Moon on Friday evening and to the right of the Moon on Saturday night.

Mars is rising at 1:45 a.m. and Jupiter follows 45 minutes later as the two planets continue to move closer to one another.

In space anniversaries this week, Saturday October 24th marks 25 years since the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft entered orbit around the Red Planet. The spacecraft is still operational and currently holds the record for the longest mission in orbit around a planet other than Earth. In addition to its mapping and science missions, Odyssey has served as a communications relay between rovers on the surface and Earth.

Public viewing at 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 currently from 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 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.