What have I seen?

[blinky]

OK I was out tonight and saw a bright star to the West, very low down. It was twinkling loads of difrent colours so I decided to have a quick look with my Brother who was visiting. When I managed to find it with the 3" Newt I have it appeard to be very bright and solid green.

Any ideas what I could have seen?

[G1ZmO]

Arcturus is pretty low in the west at the moment. Its not green though. Are there any towns to your west which produce green smoke?

Paul

[blinky]

Dont think so.... It was a very bright green colour, the thing is the star was right over the top of Edinburgh so maybe all the lights of the city were interfering? I was hoping you would say it was a planet

[G1ZmO]

Around what time were you viewing?

Uranus is visible but its more in the SE, Neptune also but you wouldnt see either unaided over Edinburgh.

[Carl]

OK I was out tonight and saw a bright star to the West, very low down. It was twinkling loads of difrent colours so I decided to have a quick look with my Brother who was visiting. When I managed to find it with the 3" Newt I have it appeard to be very bright and solid green.

Any ideas what I could have seen?

I`d say that was sirious.

[The Warthog]

Arcturus is about the only candidate. I have often watched it at this time of year, twinkling like mad in the West. Planets don't twinkle. The green colour is a little hard to explain, but you are seeing it through miles of atmosphere and whatever chemicals are floating above Auld Reekie, eh?

[G1ZmO]

Surely you cannot be sirius! LOL

Dont think Sirius is above the horizon at the moment though.

[Carl]

I`ve lost count of what stars i can see. :lol:I could have aries out the back and i don`t know, cause i`ve ain`t got no star map. Been for ages

[Kain]

Its only changing colour due to being lowish in the sky and atmospheric conditions which diffracts the lights about giving it an effect of colour changing and make it looks likes it's twinkling/wobbling more than other stars higher in the sky.

It was almost certain Arcturus

Kain

[blinky]

OK lets agree thats what it was. What constellation is it in? Just so I can find it on my star chart printout.

[Kain]

Bootes

Kain

[blinky]

Just loaded up StarCalc and I think you folks are correct. Cool! Finally managed to find a star!!

[Kain]

Well done matey

Kain

[G1ZmO]

http://www.paulstephen.com/images/astronomy/1210061930.jpg

There ya go

[Andrew*]

Now that you mention it, I also saw the same star last night. It was in the west, very bright and flickering like crazy. I had a vague thought that it was sirius but didn't think much of it. Now that I think about it, I've usually seen Sirius in the East. Is that possible?

The most startling thing about sirius is how it does flicker in loads of different colours. Is this a spectacular sight through a scope too?

Astrophethean

[daz]

Certainly is Astro ...

[Ambermile]

Having been an imager for lo these many years but now concentrating on visual, I am constantly amazed at what stars actually *do* look like. Big ones, little ones, red ones, blue ones, yellow ones, big and little doubles, big and little triples even...

Arthur

[ZOG]

When I finished work at 4:30 am Orion was high in the sky, and below it in the North East, Sirius was looking amazing. Unfortunately the scope was in the bedroom and I couldnt wake her indoors so I could take a look.

[The Warthog]

Surely you cannot be sirius! LOL

Dont think Sirius is above the horizon at the moment though.

That's how I teach the name of that star to little kids - "I'm the brightest star in the sky!" "OH! Are you Sirius?" At least they remember the name of that star, even if they can't remember Cassiopeia.

[blinky]

I was on a roll last night. I was awake at 4:30 in the morning and popped out to see Saturn (Well.... I think it was Saturn). Unfortunatly in my 3" scope all I saw was a bigger star! I was hopkng to be able to see a bit of colour, maybe some rings. Oh well!