Posts by 

Bruce McClure

Last quarter moon in Gemini, waning moon in Cancer

Last quarter moon comes on October 10. That morning, the moon will be in front of Gemini the Twins. The next morning - October 11 - the moon will be in front of Cancer the Crab.

The cycle of close and far Martian oppositions

Like so much in the sky, very close approaches of Mars happen in cycles. Become a Mars guru, here.

Moon and Mars rendezvous in early October

The moon and Mars are near each other on the sky's dome on the night of October 2, 2020. From South America, the moon will appear to occult (cover over) Mars.

Watch for Mars and the full Harvest Moon

The Northern Hemisphere's Harvest Moon is always the full moon falling the closest to the autumnal equinox. It's coming up in 2020 on October 1 or 2. What's more, this Harvest Moon will be near Mars!

Moon and Fomalhaut in late September

These next several nights - September 28, 29 and 30 - 2020 - use the bright waxing gibbous moon to find the bright star Fomalhaut, the Autumn Star.

Spectacular Venus-Regulus conjunction in early October!

Brilliant Venus, in and of itself, is worth getting up for, but the tantalizingly close encounter of Venus with the bright star Regulus won't happen again for another 8 years. Start watching them now!

Mercury in the west after sunset

Live in the Southern Hemisphere? Take advantage of your golden opportunity to view Mercury in the evening sky now. Live in the Northern Hemisphere? Give Mercury a try after sunset! You might see it.

The moon, Jupiter and Saturn September 23 to 26

On September 23, 24, 25 and 26, 2020, the moon can guide your eye to the solar system's 2 biggest gas giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn.

Equinox sun is over Earth’s equator

At an equinox, and for several days before and after, the midday sun is straight up at noon seen from Earth's equator. At this equinox, the sun is crossing the celestial equator, moving from north to south.

Young moon after sunset September 18 to 21

After sunset these next several days - September 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2020 - watch for the waxing crescent moon's return to the evening sky.