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Posts by
Bruce McClure
The Great Rift is a dark swath in the Milky Way
The Great Rift or Dark Rift is a darkened swath of the Milky Way where new stars are forming. It's best seen from a rural location away from light pollution.
August 28, 2024
Favorite Star Patterns
Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way center
As you gaze toward the famous Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you're looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
August 23, 2024
What’s a Blue Moon? The next one is August 19
What is a Blue Moon? The 2nd of 2 full moons in a calendar month? Or the 3rd of 4 full moons in a single season? The answer is ... both!
August 15, 2024
The Wild Duck Cluster, M11, a lovely open cluster in Scutum
The Wild Duck Cluster, also known as M11, is an open star cluster in the constellation Scutum that appears best through binoculars or a telescope.
August 8, 2024
Sagittarius the Archer and its famous Teapot
The zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius the Archer contains the center of the Milky Way and a famous asterism known as the Teapot.
August 2, 2024
The Northern Cross: Find the backbone of the Milky Way
The Northern Cross is an asterism - or recognizable pattern of stars - within the constellation Cygnus the Swan. Learn how to find it in your sky here.
July 25, 2024
M6 and M7: Open star clusters in the Scorpion’s Tail
M6 and M7 are star clusters near Scorpius’ stinger. But you’ll need a dark sky to see these faint but stunning stellar aggregations.
July 18, 2024
Scorpius the Scorpion is a summertime delight
The southernmost constellation of the zodiac is Scorpius the Scorpion. It's easy to spot on July evenings from most of the globe. It has a distinctive J shape.
July 17, 2024
What are star trails, and how do I photograph them?
Star trails are long-exposure photographs of stars taken as Earth turns, resulting in streaks of light across the sky. Here's how to photograph star trails.
July 14, 2024
Coathanger cluster: This star pattern looks like its name
The Coathanger cluster resembles its namesake and is easy to spot with binoculars, using the star Albireo - part of the Summer Triangle - to find it.
July 9, 2024
