I Followed a Star..

[sabana]

The other day I travelled from Walsall to Cardiff. Setting off at 5.00am. For the majority of the journey there was a star in front of me on its own. Very bright. It got lower and lower and as daybreak came was almost on the horizon. I drove as the crow flies more or less.

The question is what star was it?

Its got me thinking. But it was strangely reassuring even though I had a GPS:)

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Looking at stellarium, i'd hazard a guess at Sirius

[inspectapart]

If the star looked really bright , it was possibly Jupiter which sets around 4.30 to 5.am in the west. Amd you would have been travelling westwards from Walsall.

[sabana]

I had thought it was Jupiter. It was very bright.

[Telrad]

... could have been Jupiter ?

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Jupiter had already set by the 5am start. I'm betting sirius, or maybe betelgeuse as it was a little higher.

[cosmological]

I'd put money on it being Sirius, Jupiter had set by the time you left, Sirius was low down in the SW at that time and set at round about 6.30 roughly WSW.

[sabana]

OK now its Sirius. It was about 45" up so at 5.-6 am that eliminates Jupiter. Thanks guys.

[Double Kick Drum]

If it was that high, it also eliminates Sirius.

[cosmological]

One way to solve it would be to download Stellarium and find out for yourself.