I noticed a VERY bright static star / object last night right where you would expect Venus to be in the west in the Autumn. It was easily the brightest thing in the sky at 7pm, but by 9pm when I looked again it had gone. It didn't look like Venus, and I think it's the wrong time of year.

Any ideas? Maybe the International Space Station? I heard that that will be the brightest thing in the night sky when its done.

Thanks to Phan (I think) I have this website address:

www.heavens-above.com

Register, tell it where you are, and it will tell you what all those shiny objects up there are.

Personally, I think it is probably Venus you saw.

Reminds me of a poem from my childhood...

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
how I wonder what you are
up above the world so high
like a diamond in the sky
twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder what you are

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
I just found out what you are
A lump of rotting rocket case
A rubbish dump in outer space
twinkle twinkle little star now I know what just you are



with appologies to Spike Milligan

Well Mr H it seems that Venus is around at this time of year! :loopy: What a website that is once you work out how to use it. http://www.heavens-above.com/skychart.asp?Y=2004&M=3&D=18&H=21&N=4&Lat=53.383&Lng=-1.466&Loc=Sheffield&TZ=GMT&SL=on&SN=on&BW=0&SZ=600

Guess what, at 6 it's right up there and by 9pm its just about gone below the horizon! Mystery solved - thanks! :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Tony
Maybe the International Space Station? I heard that that will be the brightest thing in the night sky when its done.

The Heavens Above web site will also tell you when/where you can see the space station. You can actually see it each night over the next couple of weeks from Sheffield - I saw it tonight. Not exactly exciting - it just looks like a plane moving across the sky - but quite a novelty.

Mr Helicopter, what a terrific site! If only it taught me how to play the xlophone too...

Originally posted by Tony
Well Mr H it seems that Venus is around at this time of year! :loopy: What a website that is once you work out how to use it. http://www.heavens-above.com/skychart.asp?Y=2004&M=3&D=18&H=21&N=4&Lat=53.383&Lng=-1.466&Loc=Sheffield&TZ=GMT&SL=on&SN=on&BW=0&SZ=600

Guess what, at 6 it's right up there and by 9pm its just about gone below the horizon! Mystery solved - thanks! :thumbsup:

I noticed that last night as well :)

Originally posted by fnkysknky
I noticed that last night as well :)

I see it clearly from our house too on the other side of the world. Oohhhhh

Originally posted by Funke88
I see it clearly from our house too on the other side of the world. Oohhhhh

Nah that's probably one of George Dubya's new toys.......... :o

I saw this as well, found this from the Sky at Night, definately Venus..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/print/science/space/myspace/nightsky/observingnotes.shtml

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Nah that's probably one of George Dubya's new toys.......... :o

We live inbetween an airforce training base and a navy base, so that's probably true. Gulf Breeze is famous for UFO sightings.