The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is better in the Southern Hemisphere because sunrise comes later in May, where it's now autumn and they are moving toward winter.

Bruce McClure

May 1, 2024

Cor Caroli, named for the heart of a king

Cor Caroli is a binary star and the brightest star in the northern constellation Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs. Its name means Heart of Charles.

Bruce McClure

April 24, 2024

On the equinox, are day and night equal?

Day and night are mostly equal on the equinox. There's a bit more daylight because the sun is a disk, not a point, and Earth’s atmosphere refracts sunlight.

Bruce McClure

March 19, 2024

The April 8 eclipse is part of Saros 139. What does that mean?

Enjoy the April 8 eclipse as you witness the 30th of 71 member eclipses in the illustrious procession known as Saros 139. Learn more here.

Bruce McClure

February 8, 2024

The meridian: When does the sun cross it?

In the jargon of astronomers, the sun is said to make an upper meridian transit when it reaches its highest point for the day at solar noon (midday).

Bruce McClure

January 2, 2024

Aries the Ram: Here’s your constellation

How to see Aries the Ram in your night sky with its bright star Hamal, plus info about this constellation in astronomy history and mythology.

Bruce McClure

December 28, 2023

Menkar – a visual double – is the Whale’s alpha star

It's not the most famous star in Cetus the Whale, or the brightest. But Menkar is the Whale's alpha star and has its own claims to fame.

Bruce McClure

December 8, 2023

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.