what1s this beautiful star?

[Squats]

Can anyone help a beginner? I was out observing this evening, and saw a beautiful star low in the sky and to the east. It was twinkling and changing colour spectacularly. Can any one identify it, and why the colour changes?

Thanks

Tim

[nightfisher]

sounds like sirius

[magic77]

Could have been Arcturus Tim,

If you download Stellarium this is great for identification of stars, planets, galaxies etc...As for Twinkling have a look at this link...http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/twinkle.shtml

[Nexus 6]

Yup, the two contenders would be the one's mentioned above.

[barkis]

I would think you are seeing Sirius the Dog Star.

The twinkling is due to the stars low declination, which means it's light has to traverse much more of earths atmosphere.

The colour changes are due to atmospheric dispersion, which breaks up the white light, and flashes of blue and red are seen. This phenomena is common where bright objects have more atmosphere between them and us. Venus is another that can display these colours, when it is a morning star, or evening star, according to whether it is east or west of the sun in it's orbit.

Ron.

[planetdnb]

i thought exactly the same thing when i first saw sirius!

at first i thought it was a police helicopter it was twinkling blue, red and white.

[RobH]

If it was in the east as you say, it couldn't have been Sirius, as this is in the south (roughly) at twighlight at the moment....Arcturus sounds like the prime candidate.

[red dwalf]

yes , not that i know much but from my location Sirius is in the south after dark

[Squats]

Thanks all. I`ll get the software mentioned and use it.

[Vega]

If it was due East it couldn't be Sirius as it rises in a more South Easterly direction pretty much as the sun sets nowadays. Arcturus however is definately Easterly, very bright (not as bright as Sirius obviously) and rising in the evening hours after sunset.

Matt

[JamesM]

I'm going to stake my whole weekly allowance of chocolate Hobnobs that it was Arcturus, especially if seen in the east!

James

(My bet is quite a safe one really as I have already eaten them.)