flashing star

[quimby44]

hi there just out of curiosity i was out in my back garden with the dog one night last week i happend to look up at orian and below it on it on the far right hand side i saw a flashing blue green red yellow star has anybody seen it and what is it please thank you stephen

[Tinker1947]

That sounds like bad seeing, the star there twinkling through the smog in the air, as its low down there's a lot to get through.......

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi 'quimby44' and welcome to SGL.

Sounds like it could be Sirius (the Dog Star). Even when the sky is 'clear' it twinkles.

Download Stellarium http://stellarium.org/en_GB - it is free!

[Charic]

quimby44......Hi there.  The atmosphere above us plays havoc with  our viewing conditions, and the more the twinkle (scintillation), the worse the viewing conditions become.

Not only smog, but any particulates in the air,  even clear air causes the Stars to twinkle if the air currents are turbulent  due to varying temperatures aloft.

Remember the Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of The Moon. A single point of light from the left  getting diffracted through the  prism into a spectrum rainbow?.....same effect from Stars through a turbulent atmosphere.

If you follow the alignment of the three Stars in Orions belt, down towards the left, sits Sirius, The brightest Star! Not sure which Star to the right your referring too. Unless the optics have reversed the image, but how does the Dog agree, left or right?

[Owmuchonomy]

Could have been Venus.

[ghostdance]

Orion.....out with the dog....? In the interests of synchronicity, it should be Sirius, a notorious 'flasher'.

But to the left of Orion, not the right....so probably another star and lots of atmospheric turbulence as already said.

[ronin]

To the right of Orion is first Cursa, Beta Eri, problem with that one is that it is close to Orion and a bit above Rigel not below it.

Next over and down is Menkar, Alpha Cet.

Finally and well over to the right would be Venus.

After that not a clue.

[Tinker1947]

Could have been "Rigel" in the Orion Constellation, that a pulsing variable with out the smog.....

[quimby44]

think i found out what star it was flashing iam thinking its aldabaram think thats how you spell it far right of orian

[quimby44]

think i found out what star it was flashing iam thinking its aldabaram think thats how you spell it far right of orian

opps sorry its sirus my mistake its on orians left side as i look at it just across from the sword

[ghostdance]

Aldebaran's a looker too with its distinct orangey colour....left or right of the Hunter, you can't go wrong!

When you get to Aldebaran, have a gander at the Hyades, a wonderful and interesting grouping... Then swing on for the Pleiades for another *bunch of sweeties*.

Assuming you haven't already, of course

[Matt Scunthorpe]

opps sorry its sirus my mistake its on orians left side as i look at it just across from the sword

Yeah is most defiantly Sirius then, it does twinkle like mad at times, brightest star our sky I believe. Barring the Sun I guess.

Matt