Posts by

Bruce McClure

Leo the Lion and its easy to see backward question mark

Leo the Lion - one of the zodiacal constellations - is a prominent fixture from April through June in the evening sky. It’s easy to spot by finding the Sickle.

Bruce McClure

April 24, 2026

Meet M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Many stargazers call it the finest globular cluster in the northern half of the heavens. It's M13, also known as the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules.

Bruce McClure

April 21, 2026

2026 has 3 Friday the 13ths. What are the odds?

Here’s the story behind why 2026 has 3 Friday the 13ths. They are in February, March and November. The next Friday the 13th trilogy will be in 2037.

Bruce McClure

April 13, 2026

Looking for sky almanacs? EarthSky recommends …

Here are some almanacs that show you the rising and setting times for the sun, moon, planets and satellites in your sky.

Bruce McClure

April 10, 2026

The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in spring

You can spot the Big and Little Dipper in the northern sky year-round. Follow the Big Dipper’s pointer stars to find Polaris and the Little Dipper.

Bruce McClure

March 31, 2026

Lonely Alphard is the brightest star in Hydra

Alphard is the "heart" and brightest star in the constellation Hydra the Water Snake, and it represents a welcome sign of spring for the Northern Hemisphere.

Bruce McClure

March 29, 2026

Meet Cancer the Crab and its Beehive star cluster

Cancer the Crab is one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. Learn how to find it in your sky, plus learn about its star cluster, mythology and more.

Bruce McClure

March 26, 2026

Summer Triangle: A signpost for all seasons

Watch for the 3 bright stars of the Summer Triangle - Vega, Deneb and Altair - before dawn in March, before midnight in May and at dusk near the June solstice.

Bruce McClure

March 11, 2026

Mizar and Alcor in the bend of the Big Dipper

Mizar and Alcor are a famous pair of stars located at the bend of the handle of the Big Dipper. But what we see as 2 stars are really 6 stars!

Bruce McClure

March 10, 2026

Is Sirius the most luminous star in the sky?

Sirius is the brightest star in Earth's sky because of how close it is to us. It's so bright you might see glints of different colors flashing from it.

Bruce McClure

Kelly Kizer Whitt

March 4, 2026

Bruce McClure

Bruce McClure served as lead writer for EarthSky's popular Tonight pages from 2004 to 2021, when he opted for a much-deserved retirement. You can still find many articles at EarthSky.org that were originally written by Bruce, and which the EarthSky editors still update regularly. Bruce is a sundial aficionado, whose love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and sailing in the North Atlantic, where he earned his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. He also wrote and hosted public astronomy programs and planetarium programs in and around his home in upstate New York. Bruce he loves cycles of all kinds! You can still find many articles at EarthSky with Bruce's name on them, exploring the various, intricate cycles of the sky.