Posts by

Bruce McClure

How to see the Southern Cross from the Northern Hemisphere

The Southern Cross can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere, as long as you're below 26 degrees north and know when and where to look!

Bruce McClure

May 14, 2026

Polaris is the present-day North Star of Earth

Many people think Polaris is the brightest star, but it's only 48th in brightness. Still, Polaris is famous because the entire northern sky wheels around it.

Bruce McClure

Don Machholz

May 12, 2026

Meet Omega Centauri, a giant globular star cluster

Omega Centauri is the Milky Way's largest globular star cluster. It contains about 10 million stars. Find out how to see this beautiful behemoth here.

Bruce McClure

May 6, 2026

Leo the Lion and its easy to see backward question mark

Leo the Lion - one of the zodiacal constellations - is a prominent fixture from April through June in the evening sky. It’s easy to spot by finding the Sickle.

Bruce McClure

April 24, 2026

Meet M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Many stargazers call it the finest globular cluster in the northern half of the heavens. It's M13, also known as the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules.

Bruce McClure

April 21, 2026

Looking for sky almanacs? EarthSky recommends …

Here are some almanacs that show you the rising and setting times for the sun, moon, planets and satellites in your sky.

Bruce McClure

April 10, 2026

The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in spring

You can spot the Big and Little Dipper in the northern sky year-round. Follow the Big Dipper’s pointer stars to find Polaris and the Little Dipper.

Bruce McClure

March 31, 2026

Lonely Alphard is the brightest star in Hydra

Alphard is the "heart" and brightest star in the constellation Hydra the Water Snake, and it represents a welcome sign of spring for the Northern Hemisphere.

Bruce McClure

March 29, 2026

Meet Cancer the Crab and its Beehive star cluster

Cancer the Crab is one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. Learn how to find it in your sky, plus learn about its star cluster, mythology and more.

Bruce McClure

March 26, 2026

The equinox sun rises due east and sets due west

The 2026 September equinox occurs on 14:46 UTC (9:46 p.m. CDT) on March 20. And the equinox sun rises and sets due east and due west.

Bruce McClure

March 20, 2026

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Bruce McClure

Bruce McClure served as lead writer for EarthSky's popular Tonight pages from 2004 to 2021, when he opted for a much-deserved retirement. He's a sundial aficionado, whose love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and sailing in the North Atlantic, where he earned his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. He also wrote and hosted public astronomy programs and planetarium programs in and around his home in upstate New York.