Posts by

Bruce McClure

Jupiter and Regulus point to Beehive

Use the planet Jupiter and the star Regulus to find the Beehive star cluster tonight and for many nights to come!

Bruce McClure

February 27, 2016

Moon and Spica on February 25

You’ll have to stay up late (or wake up early) to see the moon with the star Spica these next several nights.

Bruce McClure

February 25, 2016

Moon, Jupiter closest on February 23

Jupiter is now nearly as bright as it will be for this entire year. The result is a beautiful sky scene. Don't miss it!

Bruce McClure

February 23, 2016

Full moon plus Jupiter on February 22

The full moon and the dazzling planet Jupiter - now nearly at its best for this year - will be together all night. Think photo opportunity!

Bruce McClure

February 22, 2016

Moon, Castor and Pollux on February 19

Castor and Pollux - 2 brightest stars in Gemini - were portrayed as twins in sky mythology. They are noticeable for being bright and close together.

Bruce McClure

February 19, 2016

Moon skims north of Orion February 16

Tonight's waxing moon arcs to north of the constellation Orion, and south of the ecliptic.

Bruce McClure

February 16, 2016

Moon near star Aldebaran February 15

From some places worldwide, the moon will cover Aldebaran for up to an hour. The rest of us get an awesome view of this bright star right next to the moon.

Bruce McClure

February 15, 2016

Moon receding tonight in 2 ways

Tonight's moon has passed its monthly perigee, or closest point. Plus, over the long course of time, the moon's mean distance from Earth is increasing.

Bruce McClure

February 13, 2016

Mercury and Venus close before sunrise

Starting an hour or so before sunrise, for the next several mornings, aim your binoculars at dazzling Venus to spot Mercury nearby.

Bruce McClure

February 11, 2016

See 5 bright planets at once

First time we can see 5 planets at once since 2005. All 5 are up before dawn, still, and all 5 will remain visible until Mercury disappears in the dawn just after mid-February.

Bruce McClure

February 8, 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.