Sign Up for Our Amazing Newsletter!
A daily update by email. Science news, great photos, sky alerts.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Posts by
Bruce McClure
Friday the 13th supermoon solar eclipse
The 2018 Friday the 13th solar eclipse will be seen mainly over the Southern Ocean, between Australia and Antarctica. The southeastern Australia coast will see a very skimpy partial eclipse on Friday afternoon. Eclipse times for that region here.
July 13, 2018
2018’s closest new supermoon on July 13
The closest new moon of 2018 - a supermoon - comes on July 13. You won't see it, but Earth's oceans will feel it. Then, 2 weeks later, we have the year's farthest full moon.
July 12, 2018
From Pluto, Earth to transit sun on July 12
Earth transits seen from Pluto are rare. The last one happened in 1931, a year after Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. It won't happen again for 161 years.
July 12, 2018
Jupiter ends retrograde on July 10-11
The end of retrograde means the end of the best time for viewing Jupiter in 2018. But Jupiter will remain bright and fun to see for many months to come. In the meantime, Mars is now as bright as Jupiter ... soon to be brighter!
July 10, 2018
Venus and Regulus conjunction on July 9
Look west after sunset to see Venus in conjunction with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. Dazzling planet! Fainter star near it ... very cool to see.
July 9, 2018
Find Mercury, below Venus, after sunset
The next couple of weeks are grand for viewing Mercury below Venus in the Northern Hemisphere. For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, July 2018 will feature the best evening apparition of Mercury for this year.
July 1, 2018
Full Strawberry Moon and Saturn on June 27 and 28
The date of June's full moon depends on your location. For U.S. time zones, full moon comes June 27. For much of the rest of the world, full moon comes June 28. For all of us, Saturn is nearby.
June 27, 2018
Mercury beneath Venus in western dusk
To catch all 5 bright planets in late June and July 2018, you first of all need to spot Mercury beneath Venus at dusk or early evening. Try your luck tonight and for several weeks to come!
June 25, 2018
Moon near Jupiter from June 22-24
The nights of June 22, 23 and 24 are a great time to make a sure identification of Jupiter on our sky's dome.
June 22, 2018
Moon sweeping through Leo the Lion
Spot the moon, 4 bright planets and 3 bright stars. Then use your mind's eye to imagine the ecliptic, or sun's path, crossing your night sky.
June 17, 2018
