UK Users...

[asif3]

Hiya guys from the UK,

I was just wondering - its a very clear night tonight, and am I the only one that can see a very very bright star right next to the moon?

any ideas what it is? :) I know it's prolly just a star, but is it of any astranomical value?

Thanks
Asif

[iGav]

Venus I think... although it seems to have a reddish tint to me...

Actually Mr D will probably know what it is once darkness falls on D.C. he's up to speed with Spacey things... ;)

[evoluzione]

if it's red, it's probably Mars...from what (little) i know, both Venus and Mars are regularly visible to the naked eye. I think Venus is fairly low down in the Southern sky. maybe.

[whocares]

if it's red, it's probably Mars...from what (little) i know, both Venus and Mars are regularly visible to the naked eye. I think Venus is fairly low down in the Southern sky. maybe.

The planets follow approx. the same path as the Moon through the sky, as they are all more or less on the same plane. Planets are easily distinguished from stars by the way they move through the sky:

*Stars rotate around the Polar star (in the Ursa minor constallation) as it's aligned with the rotation axis of Earth [note: this is from the northern hemisphere point of view, you guys "down south" see different stars, but they still rotate in the same manor around a different star/constellation].
*Planets describe arcs (Moon and Sun style), over the southern horizon [again, in the northern hemisphere]. The height of the arcs depends on latitude of observation point and season.

Several planets are visible to the naked eye: Venus, Mars, and even Jupiter and Saturn. Even with a small telescope, you'll be able to see Saturn's rings and Jupiter's 4 main satelites. Mars as an overall reddish colour. Venus is usualy seen at dusk because it's closer to the sun (half way through the night, she's hidden by the Earth...)

[kiwi_the_iwik]

I can see Uranus...

:p

[Savage Henry]

I can see Uranus...

:p


Old jokes re-visited no.73:
First recorded use of this joke was in 1872 by Dame Miriam Guffett during an all night nude astronomy class.

;)

[caveman_uk]

I've seen it for the past few nights after sunset. It's been quite high in the west and very bright - far brighter than anything else other than the moon. Venus is nearly always around magnitude -4 and Mars between 0 and 2. This thing was so bright that it must be Venus. Mars is visible at the moment though but is around 100 times less bright than venus right now - it's still brighter than many stars though.

[caveman_uk]

...that's Venus not Uranus :D