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Posts by
Bruce McClure
Northerly stars Capella and Aldebaran
For us in the Northern Hemisphere, Capella and Aldebaran in the east each evening signal that autumn is here, and winter is coming.
November 9, 2016
Moon at first quarter on November 7
Watch for the November 7, 2016 first quarter moon high in the sky as darkness falls.
November 7, 2016
Moon and Mars on November 5 and 6
Note the moon's position relative to Mars across these 2 evenings. Its eastward motion on our sky's dome is due to its eastward motion in orbit around Earth.
November 5, 2016
Earliest noontime, plus evening planets
All around the world today, the sun reaches its midday noontime position earlier by the clock today than at any other time of the year. Plus ... planets!
November 2, 2016
Moon, Venus and Saturn after sunset
Look for Venus and Saturn near the moon on November 1 and 2, then watch as the moon shifts upward in the evening twilight, past Mars.
November 1, 2016
Farthest moon of 2016
The October 31 moon is farthest for this year. In about 2 weeks, we'll have the closest moon since 1948. It'll be a full moon and a supermoon.
October 31, 2016
2016’s longest lunar month starts October 30
Lunar months vary in part because the moon's orbit around Earth isn't a perfect circle. Longest (and shortest) lunar months in 2016, here.
October 30, 2016
Venus-Saturn conjunction October 30
When you hear the word "conjunction" for sky objects, you know 2 objects appear close. Look in the sunset direction for Saturn and Venus.
October 30, 2016
Mars’ perihelion is in late October 2016
Perihelion is Mars' closest point to the sun, a once-in-2-years event. On a much-longer timescale, perihelion marks the most special times to see Mars.
October 28, 2016
Moon, Jupiter close on October 28, 2016
On the morning of October 28, 2016, a beautiful pairing of bright objects awaits you in the east before dawn. That's true no matter where you live on Earth.
October 27, 2016
