can ayone put a name to the bright star shining in the western sky for the last few weeks?

Answer 1

The planet Venus

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Answer 2

That would of course depend upon the time of night, but, if you mean the star that can easily be seen before sunset, that would be the planet venus. If you already know what Venus looks like and are referring to something else, it might be Vega.

To figure it out the best, you might want to try an online planetarium like the one found at http://www.neave.com/planetarium/

google the name of a nearby big city along with the words 'lattitude' to find your approximate lattitude, and google it again with 'longitude' to find your approximate longitude, and you should be able to see the stars as they appear in the sky during any particular hour, and this online planetarium will give the names of the brigher stars.

Answer 3

Is anyone else amazed that the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon should suddenly be “discovered” by someone, when Venus is visible most of the time as a brilliant object in the evening or morning skies?

Where are these people living? Deep in a cave? Kids too attached to their computers?

Don’t kids get out much these days?

The level of ignorance of even the most basic astronomy is appalling to me. We live in the space age, don't we?

Answer 4

VENUS

Planets

Venus will dominate the western sky after sunset, a beacon in the west-southwest as the sun disappears. This beautiful "evening star" will be impossible to miss as the sky darkens. The interval between sunset and "Venus-set" will increase from about two and a half hours to three hours during March.

Answer 5

Its Venus not a star but Earth's sister planet and (when visible actually casts a shadow) is the second brightest thing in the night sky

Answer 6

I've just done a check on my STARRY NIGHT astronomy software, and can 100% confirm it was indeed the Planet Venus.

If it's perked your interest, the software is available on Amazon UK for £44.99 http://astore.amazon.co.uk/jdcouk-astro-21/detail/B000MFPA6C/203-9338484-3266364
Or as a Digital download, direct from the maker:
http://store.starrynightstore.com/digitaldownload.html
(though the pack off Amazon does have a load of goodies with it, including a 192-page astronomy book).

Answer 7

Venus

Answer 8

Jupiter & Venus ,at the same time as they'd seem to look like stars, please be conscious, they are certainly planets in our image voltaic gadget. The brightest one is Venus, which till at the instant become the decrease of the two. Overcast with cloud in the U.ok on the 2d so i won't describe their relative positions at this 2d. attempt to get carry of a pair of, 10x50, 12x50 binoculars, go outdoors and relax your elbows on fence or wheely bin and verify out to View them. you will see Venus as an entire disk , in case you enable your eyes get familiar with the dark and seem at Jupiter ; very close the planet at an perspective of approx 20 stages you would be able to able to be certain 3 of its moons, ie; ganymede ,europa and callisto, reckoning on the binoculars high quality and the skill which you will get a pointy concentration. of course, cloudy skies regulations this out, only like right here in the U.ok.

Answer 9

This is a really interesting question because the star you have been seeing is not a star at all it is in fact the planet Venus.

Answer 10

Yes
It's called Alphonse