something near the moon!!!

[Ashapalan]

hey

is it just me or is there a bright object near the moon at the moment?

Im in the north west of england, anyone else see it?

anyone know what it is?

!!!

[Applespider]

Could be Mars

Mars
Mars is high in the south-east as the Sun sets, appearing as a red star in a rather empty area of the sky. Wait until around 8pm when it reaches its highest position directly to the south. To help find Mars, you can use the waxing gibbous Moon which sits just to the right of the planet on the 8th. (See below)

From the BBC's what's in the sky tonight (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/myspace/nightsky/observingnotes.shtml)

[Kernow]

Any chance of a picture, it is hammering it down with rain here in the South-East, so the moon isn't visible

[PlaceofDis]

its just about 1PM here. so i can't be of any help without pictures. but it could be Mars like Applespider points out.

[Lau]

Any chance of a picture, it is hammering it down with rain here in the South-East, so the moon isn't visible

Same here in the South-West :(, but I'll keep an eye out in case it stops.

[clayj]

Um, you're not supposed to see that.

Go back inside and stay away from the windows, please.

[Ashapalan]

im in the north west,

cant get a good picture as it is so close to the moon that it gets washed out
but yeh

amazingly clear
wow.

[Ashapalan]

Um, you're not supposed to see that.

Go back inside and stay away from the windows, please.

lol
im on to you

[skunk]

It's the Intelligent Designer's mothership.

[Kernow]

It's the Intelligent Designer's mothership.
Or the Flying Spaghetti Monster. :D

[Ashapalan]

Could be Mars



From the BBC's what's in the sky tonight (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/myspace/nightsky/observingnotes.shtml)

yeh
you've got it in one.

Its all right everyone, calm down, it's just mars.

but, why's it flashing?

[Applespider]

Its all right everyone, calm down, it's just mars.

but, why's it flashing?

Just so long as it's not green...

At midnight on the twelfth of August, a huge mass of luminous gas erupted from Mars and sped towards Earth. Across two hundred million miles of void, invisibly hurtling towards us, came the first of the missiles that were to bring so much calamity to Earth.

As I watched, there was another jet of gas. It was another missile, starting on its way.

And that's how it was for the next ten nights. A flare, spurting out from Mars - bright green, drawing a green mist behind it - a beautiful, but somehow disturbing sight. Ogilvy, the astronomer, assured me we were in no danger. He was convinced there could be no living thing on that remote, forbidding planet.

"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one," he said.
"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one - but still they come!"

[Jaffa Cake]

Its all right everyone, calm down, it's just mars.

but, why's it flashing?Maybe they're signalling to us?

[clayj]

Maybe they're signalling to us?I SAID, go back inside and stay away from the windows, PLEASE.

[Jaffa Cake]

I SAID, go back inside and stay away from the windows, PLEASE.Ah... the Mothership's come back for you, clayj?

Don't worry, we didn't see anything... ;)

[Patmian212]

Patmian212 phone home!!!

[displaced]

At midnight on the twelfth of August, a huge mass of luminous gas erupted from Mars and sped towards Earth. Across two hundred million miles of void, invisibly hurtling towards us, came the first of the missiles that were to bring so much calamity to Earth.

As I watched, there was another jet of gas. It was another missile, starting on its way.

And that's how it was for the next ten nights. A flare, spurting out from Mars - bright green, drawing a green mist behind it - a beautiful, but somehow disturbing sight. Ogilvy, the astronomer, assured me we were in no danger. He was convinced there could be no living thing on that remote, forbidding planet.

"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one," he said.
"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one - but still they come!"


*ahem*

BAH BAH BAAAAAAH!
(dum-dum-dum!, dum-dum-dum!)

BAH BAH BAAAAAAH!
(dum-dum-dum!, dum-dum-dum!)

*ahem*.

[EricNau]

Could also be venus. It would appear more white than red (when compared to mars).

[Ashapalan]

Could also be venus. It would appear more white than red (when compared to mars).

yeh,

its very red so must be mars.

well,
case closed.

We will see tommorow.

[EGT]

Yes, it is Mars. It's a few degrees to Moon's right as the moon overtakes. The Pleiades star cluster is about 14 degrees to Moon's lower left. Saturn is also visible very high in tonight's sky.

Venus was visible very low in SSW about 4.30-5ish for a while there but I haven't seen it lately. I think it is visible very early morning now. It's the 3rd brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.

Did anyone see anything of the Quadrantid meteor shower earlier this week? I was looking forward to it but the sky was completely overcast :(

[yoak]

I have been seeing it out of my kitchen window for a little while now. It´s specialy nice early afternoon when it´s the only object you can see on the sky as it´s not dark enough for other stars/planets to "shine"

[raggedjimmi]

You balloon! something strange has to be going on and its foggy in my wee village. smashing. just smashing.

last night there was something strange in the sky. at first my girlfriend thought it was some random planet that ive forgotten - but it wasn't! I've never seen that before.

[Qoxiivi]

hey

is it just me or is there a bright object near the moon at the moment?

Im in the north west of england, anyone else see it?

anyone know what it is?

!!!

Looks like the cow made it. Good for her.

[Jaffa Cake]

something strange has to be going on and its foggy in my wee village."Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors."
"Beware the moon, lads."

[2nyRiggz]

u didnt see anything man....just let it go just let it go:cool:


Bless

[erickkoch]

It's probably the Stardust spacecraft. It's supposed to be returning tonight but the article I read about it said it would be visible around the moon up towards the north. It's entering the earths atmosphere at over 25,000 miles per hour, and it's testing a new heat shield for NASA. It was expected to be visible for about 90 seconds. I couldn't find the link but it should be on the news.

Edit: Found article. It says:

"During the Stardust capsule's blazing re-entry at 1:57 a.m. PST Sunday, it will travel at 29,000 mph, making it the fastest man-made object to return to Earth. Residents in parts of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Utah should see the Stardust capsule as it streaks across the pre-dawn sky. Prime viewing will be along Nevada's Interstate 80 where residents can view the capsule's front.

The capsule's glow is expected to shine as bright as Venus for 90 seconds. It will appear brightest over Carlin, a small mining city in northeast Nevada.

The capsule will likely appear as a bright pink dot to the naked eye. In certain places, those with telescopes may see the capsule pass in front of the moon, appearing as a tiny dot trailed by a dark wave of hot air and debris from its heat shield."

I don't think it will be visible in England.

[Counterfit]

Gustav Holst has returned! (http://homepage.com/counterfit/OMGMars.mp3) Oh Noes! :eek:

*mentions something to onizuka and eva01 about Mai-HiME...*