Posts by

Bruce McClure

Mercury and Venus pair up at dusk April 24-26

But will you see them? Mercury and Venus are now low in the west after sunset, near the sunset glare. Try to spot their furtive rendezvous at evening dusk April 24, 25 and 26, 2021.

Bruce McClure

April 24, 2021

Dates of lunar and solar eclipses in 2021

Here are the dates of all solar and lunar eclipses in the year 2021. Is there one you can see? The next one is a total lunar eclipse, coming up in May.

Bruce McClure

April 20, 2021

In mid-April, look west after sunset for Mars and the moon

Most everyone around the world can enjoy watching the young moon sweeping through the constellation Taurus the Bull in mid-April 2021. You can identify Mars on these nights. The moon will occult - or pass in front of - Mars on April 17. Charts and info here.

Bruce McClure

April 13, 2021

Star-hop to the Coma star cluster

Long ago, the Coma star cluster represented the Lion's tufted tail. Today, we know it as an open star cluster, whose stars were born together and are still loosely bound by gravity.

Bruce McClure

April 10, 2021

Moon, Jupiter, Saturn before sunup on April 5-8

The waning crescent moon will be sweeping by the morning planets, Jupiter and Saturn, from April 5-8, 2021.

Bruce McClure

April 4, 2021

Last quarter moon on April 4, 2021

get up early on April 4, 2021, to view the southernmost last quarter moon of the year.

Bruce McClure

April 3, 2021

Moon and star Antares on April 1 and 2

On the mornings of April 1 and 2, 2021, watch for the waning gibbous moon to be in the vicinity of red Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion.

Bruce McClure

March 31, 2021

Jupiter’s equinox and mutual events of its 4 major moons

The king planet Jupiter reaches its equinox on May 2, 2021, an event that always causes mutual events of Jupiter's 4 major moons. It's an eclipse season of the moons.

Bruce McClure

March 31, 2021

See the zodiacal light

With the moon waning, those in the Northern Hemisphere might glimpse the mysterious zodiacal light in the west after true darkness falls. Southern Hemisphere? Look east before dawn.

Bruce McClure

March 30, 2021

First full moon of the season on March 28

The whole globe enjoys a full-looking moon on March 27 and 28, 2021. No matter where you live worldwide, watch for the first full moon of the season to shine from dusk until dawn.

Bruce McClure

March 27, 2021

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. You can still find many articles at EarthSky.org that were originally written by Bruce, and which the EarthSky editors still update regularly. Bruce is 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. Bruce he loves cycles of all kinds! You can still find many articles at EarthSky with Bruce's name on them, exploring the various, intricate cycles of the sky.