new orange star-ball in the southern hemispehere

[wyrd76]

I live in Finland, Hameenkyro. For the last 4 months, I have noticed a new object in the Southern Hemisphere.

At first it followed the moon on the right hand side then after a few months the moon was far away from it.

Description of the object.. (observed with binoculars) its fast moving compared to other stars, its dark orange, small, and as a constant stargazer, I have observed it at first about 4 months ago.

The area of this object is starting at about 22h40 in Finnish time at the horizon level, popping out at that area, in the centre of the Southern Hemisphere, and moves fast for a star.

Please can you tell me what this thing is, I think its a star or planet, but get a ominous feeling from its presence.

[carastro]

I had a look on Stellarium and picked a location in the middle of Finland to get an idea of your perspective.

It is likely this is Jupiter, its the brightest thing in the sky at the moment and indeed from Finland it is very low in the south.

Download Stellarium, pick your location (you only need to do this once) and it will tell you what's in the sky at any given date and time. 

Planets move faster than stars because they are closer, and they are in orbit around the Sun, so it's position throughout the year and indeed in different years will be different.  The Greeks called them Wanderers which in Greek is Planetoi or something.

Carole 

[Subdeo]

This website can also be used to see the sky from your location:

http://www.skymaponline.net/

I'm guessing that @carastro is right. 

[rockystar]

Agreed. As soon as I started reading, I was thinking Jupiter. See if you can pick out some of its moons with your binoculars

[25585]

7 hours ago, rockystar said:

Agreed. As soon as I started reading, I was thinking Jupiter. See if you can pick out some of its moons with your binoculars

What magnification will show the Galilean moons easily?

[carastro]

Jupiter was definitely appearing very low in the Sky on Stellarium as viewed from Finland over the last few months, so must be what it is.

Carole 

[Stu]

5 hours ago, 25585 said:

What magnification will show the Galilean moons easily?

I can see the ones furthest out with x8, probably x15 would be easy.

[cotterless45]

When I first read the title , then saw your location , I thought that you were talking about the return of the Sun !

 Especially ,as over here it has been a rare sight this spring and early summer. It was quite glaring on the first clear day !

Nick.

[Captain Scarlet]

My money's on Mars. There's no doubt Mars is "reddish". 3-4 months ago it would have been just above the horizon at 0300, now it's just (1 degree) above the horizon from your location at 2240, looking SSE, getting up to about 6 degrees at 0100.

PS you live about 30km away from one of my cousins in Tampere

Hey hey, Magnus

[celestron8g8]

I bet it’s Mars . Check www.spaceweather.com , change archive to May 30, 2018 . It tells about midnight conjunction . Here is the sky map .