venus>?

[mitchel1111]

I was coming home from work today and i noticed all the stars were slightly visible. However there was one realy bright star but it really stood out. I wrote down the degrees and time with my compass.

When i looked stellarium and it leads me to beleive it is venus is this coeect does it appear that bright ?? thanks

my notes were 260 degrees @ 7.15 gmt. not to far up into the sky but not to low either

thanks

[John]

Venus is the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon and the Sun and it does stand out, even when there is quite a lot of light in the sky.

I was looking at it with my 4" refractor earlier this evening and it currently appears as a thinnish crescent, like a tiny version of the crescent moon. You need a scope or really powerfull binoculars to see this though.

John

[Doc]

It's great observing the different phases of Venus.

[argonaut]

Yes Mitchel it was Venus. Very bright at the moment in the Southwest. You should be able to see the crescent in your bino's. Don't worry about CA,we all suffer from it with bino's. Just enjoy the view.

Glen.

[mitchel1111]

i never thought a planet could be so shiny its like a bright star? cant wait for 7.15 tomorow fingers crossed for clear skies lol thanks

[John]

i never thought a planet could be so shiny its like a bright star? cant wait for 7.15 tomorow fingers crossed for clear skies lol thanks

Venus is virtually completely covered in clouds - what we see is the sunlight reflecting of those clouds which is why it is bright.

John

[fallenmonk]

Hi am new to this.How long is Venus visable throughout the year?I have been watching it with The naked eye since last year and seems to be getting brighter.Why is it always in the same location?Should it not move ?thanks.

[Dave]

Watch it over the next couple of weeks and see how quckly it will now disappear into the twilight. In a couple of months time it will be visible low in the morning sky before sunrise.