Posts by 

Bruce McClure

May 2021 best month for Mercury after sunset

Live in the Northern Hemisphere? If so, May 2021 presents the year's best month for spotting the planet Mercury in the evening sky.

Year’s 1st supermoon on April 26-27

The April 2021 full moon presents the first of a "season" of 3-straight full moon supermoons. April's supermoon is the 2nd closest full moon supermoon of the year.

Moon near star Spica on April 25

From around the world tonight, use the waxing gibbous moon to locate Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Last quarter moon on April 4, 2021

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

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.