What Planet did I see just after sunset tonight??

Question

Hi All, My daughter saw a bright star in the sky just after the sun went down. I think it was a planet as it was very bright. Can't seem to find any info on which planet it was. Anyone know? I live in Nova Scotia Canada. Today is January 22/07.

Answer 1

Venus is currently in the western sky just after sunset. If you have binoculars or a small telescope, you can see that it's a crescent :)

Answer 2

I'll assume that you were looking westward. From Nova Scotia, you would see roughly the same sky view as the continental US. The planet you saw was undoubtably Venus.

Planets Visible Now
For January 2007

Mercury
Mercury passes behind the Sun in superior conjunction early in the month (the 7th), and is not well placed for observing until it glides far enough away from the solar glare about three weeks later. In the last few days of the month you may be able to catch it in the western twilight after sunset. Start looking maybe 10 minutes after local sunset. First find Venus low in the west-southwest. Mercury is below it, 7-8 degrees, and slightly to the right.

Venus
After the first week or two of the month, Venus dominates the west-southwest shortly after sunset. It is there at the beginning of the month, but rather low.

Mars
Mars is a morning object in Ophiuchus and Sagittarius (into which it moves on the 11th). Rising only about 90 minutes before the Sun, currently it is small target in telescopes.

Jupiter
Jupiter rises about two hours before the Sun, not far from the star Antares (although Jupiter is across the border in Ophiuchus. Although low in the sky, it offers a nice telescopic sight, complete with satellites, for early risers.

Saturn
Saturn, near Regulus in Leo, rises 2-3 hours after sunset at mid-month and is visible the remainder of the night. Look for it in the east by mid-evening, high overhead about 2 a.m., and in the western sky shortly before sunrise. Even a small telescope reveals the rings.

Answer 3

It was probably Venus, but there is a very bright comet out there too. I think it is where you were looking, although I live in a night forsaken city and haven't seen anything in the night sky for a while.