It'll be tough to catch the crescent moon and Jupiter from northerly latitudes. Much easier from southerly latitudes! Watch for these bright worlds, west after sunset.

Bruce McClure

September 21, 2017

Occultations galore September 18 2017

It'll be the first time since 2008 that the moon occults - or covers over - 3 planets in less than a day. For good measure, the moon also occults a bright star, Regulus.

Bruce McClure

September 17, 2017

Moon, Venus on September 17 and 18, 2017

They're the sky's 2 brightest objects after the sun, and they're near each other Monday and Tuesday mornings.

Bruce McClure

September 16, 2017

Mercury/Mars conjunction September 16, 2017

No matter where you live worldwide, an imaginary line from the moon through brilliant Venus - in the east before dawn - points in the general direction of Mercury and Mars.

Bruce McClure

September 15, 2017

Moon and Twins on September 15, 2017

Enjoy the moon and Gemini stars, Castor and Pollux, Friday and Saturday mornings. These 2 stars aren't really twins, but they're noticeably bright and close together on the sky's dome.

Bruce McClure

September 14, 2017

Farthest lunar perigee on September 13, 2017

The moon reaches perigee - its closest point to Earth - once each month. Today's perigee is the most distant one of 2017.

Bruce McClure

September 13, 2017

Will you see the moon hide Aldebaran?

If you see a bright star right next to the moon, that'll be Aldebaran. If you don't see it, it might be behind the moon! Meanwhile, we all can see the moon traveling in front of Aldebaran's constellation, Taurus the Bull.

Bruce McClure

September 10, 2017

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.