Posts by

Bruce McClure

Meteors, moon and planets on August 12

The moon's passage near these planets got lost a bit in the excitement over the Perseid meteor shower. But you can still see them!

Bruce McClure

August 12, 2016

Moon near star Spica on August 8

Bright star near the moon on August 8 is Spica in the constellation Virgo. This blue-white gem of a star is some 1,900 times more luminous than our sun.

Bruce McClure

August 8, 2016

Moon and Jupiter again … see 5 planets!

On August 6, use the moon to locate Jupiter. Then look for Mercury and Venus to Jupiter's west, and for Mars and Saturn to Jupiter's east.

Bruce McClure

August 6, 2016

Moon and Mercury after sunset August 4

It won't be easy to catch Mercury near the August 4 young moon. But if your sky is clear all the way to the western horizon after sunset, try it!

Bruce McClure

August 4, 2016

Will you see moon and Venus August 3?

Try to catch the moon's entry into the evening sky on August 3, 2016. This young moon can help you to locate 5 bright evening planets.

Bruce McClure

August 3, 2016

See all 5 bright planets after sunset

Three of the 5 planets are easy to see. Two aren't so easy. Charts and info here that can help you see all 5 planets together in early August 2016.

Bruce McClure

July 31, 2016

Mercury-Regulus conjunction on July 30

Planet Mercury and star Regulus appear in 2016's closest conjunction of a planet and a bright star on July 30. Too bad they're so near the sunset glare.

Bruce McClure

July 30, 2016

Moon and Aldebaran before dawn July 29

From most of North America, the moon and star Aldebaran will appear a hair’s-breadth apart. From Texas, Mexico or Central America, the moon will cover Aldebaran.

Bruce McClure

July 28, 2016

Gaze toward Milky Way center on July 17

Sure, the moon's glare will obscure our view the stars tonight. Still, a glance up at tonight's moon is a look in direction to the center of our galaxy.

Bruce McClure

July 17, 2016

Mercury-Venus conjunction on July 16

On July 16, 2016, an awesome conjunction of our sun's 2 innermost planets, only half a degree (a moon diameter) apart. Will you be able to spot it?

Bruce McClure

July 16, 2016

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.