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Posts by
Bruce McClure
Fist-Shaking Moon on August 2 and 3
On August 2 and 3, 2020, everyone around the world (except far-northern Arctic latitudes) will see a full-looking moon from dusk until dawn.
August 2, 2020
Moon, Jupiter, Saturn July 31 to August 3
As darkness falls on these early August evenings, let the bright moon introduce you to bright Jupiter and golden Saturn. They've close are year and are headed for a great conjunction before 2020 ends.
July 31, 2020
Go someplace dark and watch for meteors!
The Delta Aquariids are peaking. And the 2020 Perseid meteor shower gets rolling around now, too. Most importantly, find a dark sky!
July 24, 2020
Watch the moon shed its shadow
Because the moon moves eastward (away from the setting sun) at the rate of about 13 degrees per day, watch for the young moon to shed its shadow as it waxes (increases) in age.
July 21, 2020
Moon and Venus beautiful before sunrise July 16-19
These next several mornings - July 16, 17 and 18, 2020 - enjoy the waning crescent moon, the queen of the night, pairing up with Venus, the queen planet.
July 15, 2020
Mercury in the July morning sky
Mercury is only modestly-bright in mid-July 2020, but let the waning crescent moon and the planet Venus help you to locate Mercury near the horizon as darkness gives way to dawn. If you can't see this world with the eye alone, try binoculars!
July 14, 2020
Moon and Mars from midnight until dawn
Jupiter dominates over the July evening sky, staying out from dusk until dawn. Venus, the sky's brightest planet, lords over the eastern sky at dawn. Mars is roughly midway between Jupiter and Saturn. It's near the moon on the mornings of July 11 and 12, 2020.
July 11, 2020
Year’s farthest quarter moon July 12
The year's farthest quarter moon - yet the year's closest lunar apogee - both fall on July 12, 2020. Coincidence?
July 10, 2020
Venus brightest, near star Aldebaran, around July 10
Even though - as seen from Earth - Venus appears only slightly more than 1/4 illuminated on July 10, 2020, it is nonetheless shining at its brightest in our morning sky! Look east before sunup for Venus. The bright star nearby is Aldebaran.
July 9, 2020
Full moon, faint eclipse, on July 4-5
The penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020 will be so nearly imperceptible that some will see nothing even while staring at it. Then again … very observant people will notice something strange happening on the moon, without knowing an eclipse is taking place. Who will see it (or not) in this post.
July 4, 2020
