StackerKen
25th April 2010, 08:47 PM
The past few nites we have been seeing a really bright star to the west.
I told my wife it was probably a planet.
tonite its really bright. So I looked it up.
found this.
http://stargazing.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_bright_star_in_the_west
What is that bright star in the West? It's not a star nor a plane ... it's VENUS! That brilliant star that shines brightly in the west after sunset for a couple hours is the closest planet to Earth.
[Updated for 2010]
The Evening Star
Venus is often considered the Morning Star or the Evening Star, depending on which time of day it is up and dominating the darkness. For example, from mid-February to mid-October 2010, Venus will be the most notable object in the evening sky in the west after sunset. It shines at a stunning -4 magnitude. The only natural objects in the night sky that are brighter than Venus are the Sun and the Moon (Satellites can briefly flare brighter than Venus).
Because Venus is close to Earth, it does not twinkle, as a star does. Its bright white light will hold steady, while if you compare stars in the vicinity, they "twinkle" or seem to waver and even change color.
Seeing Venus Through Binoculars
Venus goes through phases like the Moon because of its position between Earth and the Sun. When it is more of a crescent phase it is closer to us and bigger, and also its angle makes it look farther from the Sun and places it in a darker sky. For these reasons, Venus is brighter in its crescent phase than when it is near full phase! The crescent phases of Venus can be detected through binoculars or a telescope. Look for a large thin crescent at dusk in September and early October 2010.
And I found this
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100402132753AAkJN9T
What's the colorful bright star in southern/western sky?
I'm in Miami, saw it April 2010 in the south-southwestern sky. It looked like a disco ball shining multiple colors and was pretty bright. There was another colorful one less bright in the western sky. Any ideas?
3 weeks ago
GeoffG
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
That would be Sirius, the brightest star. The one in the west was probably Betelgeuse or Rigel.
[Edit] Not Venus because it doesn't look at all like "a disco ball shining multiple colors." That description could only fit Sirius. And certainly not Jupiter, which is too close to the Sun right now for observation. As I've said before, I wish people who don't know their stars well would just shut up!
Source(s):
53 years stargazing.
3 weeks ago
I can't seem to find much else that is recent.
Anyone have any idea what we are seeing?
I told my wife it was probably a planet.
tonite its really bright. So I looked it up.
found this.
http://stargazing.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_bright_star_in_the_west
What is that bright star in the West? It's not a star nor a plane ... it's VENUS! That brilliant star that shines brightly in the west after sunset for a couple hours is the closest planet to Earth.
[Updated for 2010]
The Evening Star
Venus is often considered the Morning Star or the Evening Star, depending on which time of day it is up and dominating the darkness. For example, from mid-February to mid-October 2010, Venus will be the most notable object in the evening sky in the west after sunset. It shines at a stunning -4 magnitude. The only natural objects in the night sky that are brighter than Venus are the Sun and the Moon (Satellites can briefly flare brighter than Venus).
Because Venus is close to Earth, it does not twinkle, as a star does. Its bright white light will hold steady, while if you compare stars in the vicinity, they "twinkle" or seem to waver and even change color.
Seeing Venus Through Binoculars
Venus goes through phases like the Moon because of its position between Earth and the Sun. When it is more of a crescent phase it is closer to us and bigger, and also its angle makes it look farther from the Sun and places it in a darker sky. For these reasons, Venus is brighter in its crescent phase than when it is near full phase! The crescent phases of Venus can be detected through binoculars or a telescope. Look for a large thin crescent at dusk in September and early October 2010.
And I found this
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100402132753AAkJN9T
What's the colorful bright star in southern/western sky?
I'm in Miami, saw it April 2010 in the south-southwestern sky. It looked like a disco ball shining multiple colors and was pretty bright. There was another colorful one less bright in the western sky. Any ideas?
3 weeks ago
GeoffG
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
That would be Sirius, the brightest star. The one in the west was probably Betelgeuse or Rigel.
[Edit] Not Venus because it doesn't look at all like "a disco ball shining multiple colors." That description could only fit Sirius. And certainly not Jupiter, which is too close to the Sun right now for observation. As I've said before, I wish people who don't know their stars well would just shut up!
Source(s):
53 years stargazing.
3 weeks ago
I can't seem to find much else that is recent.
Anyone have any idea what we are seeing?