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Posts by
Bruce McClure
Equinox fun: Track the sun’s shift now until the solstice
On this equinox, start tracking the sunset point on your western horizon. You'll see a mighty shift between now and the June solstice.
September 17, 2026
Zodiacal light: Start watching for it now
The zodiacal light is an eerie light extending up from the horizon before dawn around the Northern Hemisphere autumn. Southern Hemisphere? Look after sunset!
September 10, 2026
Delta Cephei helps measure cosmic distances
Delta Cephei is an inconspicuous variable star in the northern constellation Cepheus the King. This important star helped establish the cosmic distance scale.
September 10, 2026
Taurid fireballs might light up the sky around November 5
Maybe you've been watching for Taruid fireballs already. The peak of the South Taurid meteor shower is around November 5, and the North Taurids soon follow.
August 30, 2026
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 28, 2026
Sagittarius the Archer is home to deep-sky wonders
The zodiacal constellation Sagittarius the Archer contains the center of the Milky Way and a famous asterism known as the Teapot.
August 23, 2026
Favorite Star Patterns
Teapot of Sagittarius points to the Milky Way’s center
As you gaze toward the famous Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you are looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
August 21, 2026
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 19, 2026
Is Ophiuchus the 13th constellation of the zodiac?
The sun passes through Ophiuchus for about 2 weeks every year, so why isn’t this constellation considered the zodiac’s 13th sign?
August 19, 2026
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 30, 2026
