Brightest star in the sky

[stevie667]

Right, this has been bothering me for a while now, and there must be someone here with an answer.

Currently, it is cloudly out, as usual in England. There is a plane, a bird (which i'm assuming is lost), and one star roughly southish that is sticking out rather well, considering i can't see a single other one.

For some time, this one star has been brighter than all the others, appearing even, like tonight, when there isn't a single other one in the sky.

I swear this damned thing hasn't always been there, i always used to look out onto a dark purple and orange sky before, but now there is this star damnit!

Please excuse me if i'm sounding completly insane, but has anyone elsed noticed this? Has some other star gona nova several million years ago, and finally gotten around to telling us, is someone in a really fuel efficient helicopter tormenting me, or am i going completly insane and it's always been there?


Someone help me!

[teflonian]

Stevie, my best guess is that it is a planet. I am sure you could look up an online star chart (linux has a free one you can download if you happen to be using linux) and input your location and see which star matches up with this stars location.

If it was a supernova that could actually be seen in the sky, I am pretty sure you would have heard of it. I would have hoped that I would have heard about it! They aren't a common thing to be visible by the naked eye, last one being in 1987 I think.

[ShaniFaye]

here is a list of planets and when they are visible

Mercury stays low over the east to northeast horizon for observers in the northern hemisphere during the first half of the month. It's daily path westward toward the Sun is parallel to the horizon from north of the equator, while for observers in the southern hemisphere Mercury will be higher above the horizon.

Venus starts becoming more easily seen over the west-northwestern horizon at sunset this month. By the end of the month Venus will be about 15 degrees above the horizon at sunset, setting an hour or so later.

Mars rises a few hours before the Sun and is easily seen low over the east-southeast horizon as it moves eastward across the stars of Aquarius and Pisces. On 31 May Mars will be occulted by the Moon, and the event will be visible from the United States.

Saturn setting with the Gemini Twins Jupiter is very high over the southern horizon at sunset for northern hemisphere observers. Throughout the month Jupiter will be within a few degrees of the magnitude 3.5 star Porrima in Virgo. Saturn is low over the south-southwest horizon at sunset and sets an hour later. Saturn remains just to the east of the twin stars, Pollux and Castor, as they set.

[stevie667]

Update on the location, it's roughly in the south western part of the sky. It may be jupiter, as thats the only one that is in the same portion of sky, but i'm still not convinced. I might be wrong, but i'm gona dig out my star charts and take a looksee...

[radioguy]

if the "star" is not flickering, then it is a planet. a planet does not flicker.

[guthmund]

It's obviously a sign of the coming Apocalypse (trademark pending) as surely the End of Times (again, trademark pending) is at hand.

Take the herald for what it is and heed the unspoken words of HIS silent messenger resting alone in the inky cloak of night, a sign of impending doom upon your wicked, sinful country near the 52nd parallel, yea, surely a portent to the Children of God (trademark might be pending) to follow the celestial guide south to the land of milk and honey.

Or....it could be Jupiter.

In fact, after further review, not the coming of the End of Days, probably Jupiter, which is awfully bright in the southwestern sky this May.

[stevie667]

Originally Posted by guthmund

Or....it could be Jupiter.

In fact, after further review, not the coming of the End of Days, probably Jupiter, which is awfully bright in the southwestern sky this May.

If jupiter hasn't been that bright except over the past month or so, it may just very well be jupiter.

[guthmund]

Originally Posted by stevie667

If jupiter hasn't been that bright except over the past month or so, it may just very well be jupiter.

Well, to be honest, I'm going to assume that the same directions and such for viewing the cosmos is the same in England as it is here in the states, that is, unless someone tells me differently....?

So, yeah, Jupiter has been exceptionally bright these last few weeks. Both Jupiter and Saturn are in prime viewing position for the next couple of weeks due to their location in opposition to the sun. They both will be very bright and stay very visible all night long. Jupiter will start in the extreme southwestern sky and slowly drift west if I remember right. So, yeah, it's probably Jupiter.


So...no coming of The Rapture..."my bad" as they say...

[stevie667]

Cheers for the help! Now i know what makes me walk into lamposts when drunk because i'm staring at it