• Registered: 2005-04-10

Topic: what's in the sky tonight ?

i haven't yet had a chance to do any research online - perhaps i'll do that after this - but there's a HUGE bright thingie in the sky tonight - we just got back from a walk, and spotted it before it was even dark out - you could clearly and visibly see it - it looks like a very bright star ... i'm curious to find out what it is ... we saw it when the sun was just starting to go down, and then about 15 minutes later spotted it again in the sky when it was dark out ... very bright this thing ... (if you have any clues - let us know - thanx!)

... checking out the mirror of relationship ...

oceanchild's Website

2 Reply by visavis (edited by visavis 2006-06-15 21:32:06)

  • Registered: 2005-10-16

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Could it have been Venus?  Venus is very bright - brighter than the brightest star (Sirius). 

Was it along or did it follow the ecliptic (path of sun, moon, planets) in the sky?  Did it move, other than the normal rising and setting patterns of stars and planets?

"The unknown does not incite fear, but dependence on the known does." - J. Krishnamurti

visavis's Website

  • Registered: 2006-02-06

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Could it be a satellite?

In man's analysis and understanding of himself, it is as well to know from whence he came as whither he is going.   Edgar Cayce

Beliefs are tools for social conditioning, rather than expressions of inner realization or inner truth.   unknown
Ad Verecundiam
  • From: Brazil
  • Registered: 2006-02-11

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Here, last year Venus was very bright as I never seen before.

Bye, Pictus

--------------------
http://pictus.co.nr

Pictus's Website

  • Registered: 2005-04-10

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

http://www.aaa.org/aaawhatsup.htm

i did a google search and one of the good sites i found was the above site - it's got some good info on the June sky ... i'm still not sure what i saw - at first we thought it was a plane - but it wasn't moving - then i thought it might be a satellite - but those things usually move as well, no ? or could you see a satellite sitting in a fixed position for a long time ? i don't know ...

... checking out the mirror of relationship ...

oceanchild's Website

  • Registered: 2006-02-06

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

The last time I saw a satellite it was moving. I dont if you can see it in a fixed position or not.

In man's analysis and understanding of himself, it is as well to know from whence he came as whither he is going.   Edgar Cayce

Beliefs are tools for social conditioning, rather than expressions of inner realization or inner truth.   unknown
Ad Verecundiam
  • From: The Singularity
  • Registered: 2005-09-23

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

oceanchild,

1.  Where were you?

2.  What time was it?

3.  What direction was the object?

4.  How high over the horizon was the object?

I can say with some confidence that it wasn't Venus as it is currently about 30 degrees ahead of the Sun, not trailing it.

It is not for us to understand love, but simply to make space for it.
  • Registered: 2006-03-29

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

A satellite could be in geostationary orbit and appear to be in a fixed position.

Tenet beat me to it.  I had to back up to about 5pm last night to see Venus just above the horizon.

Here is a view looking West at 8pm last night from Florida.  Click for a larger image.

http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/1108/61560up.th.gif

9 Reply by PleiadeanHealer

  • PleiadeanHealer
  • Guest

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Oceanchild,
Could this be what you saw in the sky?

Space Weather News for June 14, 2006
http://spaceweather.com

CONVERGING PLANETS: Mars and Saturn aren't super-bright, but they will catch your eye after dark because they are so close together. The two planets are converging, forming a tight pair in the western sky. Look for them just after sunset on the evenings of June 15th through 17th. The view is best on June 17th, when Saturn and Mars are closest together, but it's also fun watching them converge on the two nights before.

PHOTO-OP: June 15th is special because, en route to Saturn, Mars will glide in front of the Beehive star cluster. Using binoculars or a small telescope you can easily see the ensemble: it will look like a red supernova (Mars) has gone off among the stars of the Beehive. Astrophotographers, prepare your cameras!

SPACE STATION SIGHTINGS: At this time of year, near the June solstice, the International Space Station (ISS) is orbiting in almost continuous sunlight. It's a great time to see the ISS flying brightly-lit through the night sky. Would you like to be alerted when the ISS is about to fly over your backyard? Sign up for SpaceWeather PHONE: http://spaceweatherphone.com .

For sky maps and more information about these events, please visit http://spaceweather.com .
_________________

  • Registered: 2005-04-10

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

hey t,

1. my location: canada, toronto

2. time: about 8 pm when i first spotted this thing (still fairly light out - sun was starting to go down but the sky was lightish blue in hue)

3. the object was SW in relation to us

4. it wasn't that high in the horizon at all - actually - i'm not sure how to calculate that angle ... but if i was to look straight up and consider that 90 degrees as measured from when i'm looking straight ahead, then this thing was probably around the 45 degree mark (+/- 10 degrees)



in the end - i guess it doesn't really matter what star/object it actually was - but it would still be interesting to find out ... the last few days have been ... well ... strange for me and i wonder what kind of effect / how much of an effect (if any at all) planetary alignment is having ... i know the moon did its little number on me !! or was it me responding to it ?? ultimately i have to take responsiblity for myself (excuse the ramblage/self talk)

---

my internet got cut off and then i saw z3 and PH's responses ... errum ... what i saw wasn't a cluster (or didn't appear to be - and it wasn't red - it was an intense bright yellow - and extraordinarily large considering we could see it when it was so light out - satellite is a possiblity)

... checking out the mirror of relationship ...

oceanchild's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-29

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

I doubt it will help but here is a satellite tracking map. - LINK (uses Java)

I checked the Toronto sky last night around 8pm and the only thing that comes close is the Mars/Saturn thing.  Could it be that with a weird color/shape given atmospheric conditions?

If not that, then it was an Unidentified Stationary Object.  = )

  • montalk
  • montalk
  • forum-keeper-upper
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2004-03-24

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Try Stellarium, a free planetarium for various platforms. From what I can tell, Jupiter was around that spot, and it's a pretty bright planet.

Acquiring fringe knowledge is like digging for diamonds in a mine field.

montalk's Website

13 Reply by tenetnosce (edited by tenetnosce 2006-06-16 10:55:05)

  • From: The Singularity
  • Registered: 2005-09-23

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

Date:  15 Jun 06
Time:  8:00 pm EDT
Loc:    79:23W 43:39N

Mars and Saturn are almost conjunct in 7-8 degrees Leo, which puts them about 40 degrees above the southwestern horizon. 

Sounds like that was it!  Should definitely make for a good sight!

The moon is also at perigee and Pluto just went into opposition to the Sun.  Could be contributing to all the weirdness. .

It is not for us to understand love, but simply to make space for it.

14 Reply by oceanchild (edited by oceanchild 2006-06-16 18:05:55)

  • Registered: 2005-04-10

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

sweet, thanks guys !

screenshot from the software montalk gave a link to - it's very nifty - you can scroll around the night sky, check out the constellations - their names, all that good stuff:
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8510/stellarium9qd.jpg

lol@ USO wink

... checking out the mirror of relationship ...

oceanchild's Website

  • Registered: 2007-04-21

Re: what's in the sky tonight ?

There is a very bright object in the skies - I have been watching it for the last half year. At first, I thought it was a blimp. Then, when I was in Europe and pointed the thing to my brother, he thought it was an oil stack light. But, I observe it in the US, too. I am in Michigan now. I usually first notice it around 8 pm and it is visible until 11:30 -12:00. It is approximately 15 or 20 degrees to the right of the Moon and a little lower. Any information on what it might be, anyone?