Do you know the name of the really bright white star I saw last week or so? it was low in the western sky.?

Question

I dont think it was a satellite...

I live in england, it was very bright almost blue

Answer 1

It wasn't a star, it was the planet, Venus. I saw it too, I love seeing Venus, it's so beautiful. Ironic when you consider that one breath on that world would kill you. It's surrounded by clouds of amonia and had a landscape of lava floes.

However, Venus often appears low in the sky and usually just around sunset and sunrise.

Answer 2

How old are you?

Whatever, your age, how come you went this long without ever seeing the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon.

Venus is visible in the evening or morning sky most of the time, for ever.

I'd get out more if I were you.

PS - The above answers are wrong. Mercury is particularly hard to spot as it is always close to the sun. Venus is many times brighter than Sirius, and for some reason people go for years and then see it. It is a worry.

Answer 3

You observed the planet Venus. at present the planet looks merely above the western horizon and instruments extra or less a million hour after the sunlight instruments. this is the brightest merchandise interior the night sky (aside from the Moon of path). it ought to not be Mars or Sirius because those gadgets don't get close to horizon until presently after ineffective night. Mars isn't that bright and Sirius might nicely be relatively known considering the undeniable fact that's close to to Onion's Belt.

Answer 4

It took me years to equate brightest star with Venus too. Tonight its sitting way below the crescent moon as seen from Spain. A friend of mine has a great photo of Venus in the same frame as the moon taken earlier in the year.

Check this magazine out in your newsstand:

http://www.astronomynow.com/

It usually has a map for each month showing where the constellations are to be found and all sorts of great astrolonomical information too.

And a million thanks for that comment about earthshine. I knew I wasn't nuts! There have been lots of times when looking at the moon that I could just make out the rest of its face even though it wasn't being lit by the sun. Now I know that I really was seeing something, the moon's face weakly lit by the earth.

Answer 5

Where are you? If you are in the northern hemisphere it was probably not a star but the planet Venus. It is visible at the moment and is the brightest object in the night sky (except the moon of course). It has white clouds of sulphuric acid in it's atmosphere which make it a particularly good reflector of sunlight.

Answer 6

It's the planet Venus. And tonight, it will be about 8-10 degrees right below the moon, and will set about one hour before the moon does.

Find a real dark place and look for Earthshine - it's the reflection of light off of the Earth's atmosphere that will cause the dark part of the moon to appear grey or even dark green.

Answer 7

Probably the planet Venus. It is very bright right after the Sun sets.

Answer 8

The bright, untwinkling, celestial body was the planet Venus.

Answer 9

Could be Sirius (the dog star) - late in the evening or the planet Venus - just after sunset?

Answer 10

wasnt a satelitte i saw it too & pretty sure it was Venus