I live in Saratoga, CA.
Right now at 8:38PM 3/18/2007, I see this really bright star in the West direction.
I first thought it was a plane because it's incredibly bright, but it's definitely a star. Being bright not be such an incredible thing and I've seen stars just never one like this. (And no, it's not because of some lighting that affects my eyesight.)
Anyone know which star it is and why it's so bright tonight?
2007-03-18 16:43:20 · 9 answers · asked by ctil41 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
re: nick
I actually gaze at the stars about once a week at a same place when I rest after a night jog. But, I was just surprised last night, because I've never seen it so bright before. Last night it was extremely bright, I've never seen something so bright!
Another question: Does anyone know why it was especially bright last night?
2007-03-19 08:24:12 · update #1
That is not a star that is the beautiful planet Venus.
If you have binoculars or a telescope it will be an amazing site !
Here are some pages i recomend to Venus watcher at our observatory ..
(Need any help viewing it , send
along an email to me )
http://skytonight.com/observing/ataglance
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/solarsystem/venus/
http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~huffman/venus.htm
2007-03-18 17:29:34 · answer #1 · answered by spaceprt 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not a star but is a Planet. It is Venus. It is the brightest object of the night sky after moon. The same star could be seen in the morning time in the East in some other months. Its brightness depends on its location and distance from earth. It is bright on several days. It is written in books that on a clear sky, dark night, non-polluted atmosphere this star can cast a shadow! But I never could see.
2007-03-19 00:12:13 · answer #2 · answered by Wiser 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I tend to agree with nick's response. I had people look at me blankly when I asked them if they had seen McNaught's Comet a couple of months ago. "What comet?" they said.
It was all over the news in Australia, the brightest comet you'll probably ever see, and they never looked out of their window for two weeks. Venus is the same. It's up there half the year. I suppose people just don't get out like they used to.
Oh well.
2007-03-19 01:20:46 · answer #3 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow - another person who has lived for years and suddenly discovers Venus.
What a world we live in now, when the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, 10 times brigher than the brightest star, and visible most of the time after sunset in the west, or before sunrise in the east, eludes people for years.
Venus is visible most of the time. Where do you hide most nights?
2007-03-19 00:33:24 · answer #4 · answered by nick s 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If it is right on the horizon at this time on the 18th March it is Venus any higher than the horizon from your location at this time is not Venus. I added details into computer and venus was smack on horizon at this time.
2007-03-19 08:05:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's Venus...
Mars is never that bright.
Hey, at least they didn't refer to it as a UFO or some strange light that followed them all night or something.
2007-03-19 00:35:59 · answer #6 · answered by star2_watch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at the weather section of today’s paper it might just be Venus or Mars. My guess is Mars.
2007-03-18 23:51:59 · answer #7 · answered by Joe 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
If it brighter than Sirius it a planet.
2007-03-19 00:08:43 · answer #8 · answered by twopewsback 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I say it's venus
2007-03-19 00:09:06 · answer #9 · answered by fooleong_chong 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋