Posted on 06/07/2015 2:49:48 AM PDT by djf
OK. Tonight I go on my porch and gaze at the night sky.
I have to move around a bit because there are trees everywhere.
But I see a BRIGHT object - almost directly west of me, and it's getting ready to set. It's right on the ecliptic.
The only two objects that ever get that bright are Jupiter and Venus, but it wasn't Jupiter, and at 11:30 at night, it sure ain't Venus!
Any ideas? Seriously. This has been buggin the crap out of me!
Install the app “Night Sky”, point your device at the object and it will tell you. Could it be the ISS?
Set after midnight (00:16) in Seattle:
Because of this I believe the events in the last column (”set”) precede the events in the first column (”rise”), so to know what time Venus set last night, look in the column for June 7.
Regards!
First, we have to catch up to the Jetsons before we can even consider your other options. I mean, surely we’ll get flying cars before interstellar space travel, right???
Thanks!
It reminds me of a time years back when I saw the moon - it wasn’t an eclipse, but it was just right before sunrise, and it was like an annular eclipse, just a ring in the sky.
Odd. That the sky can do such stuff.
But I swear if you told me you could see Venus at 11:30, I’d flat out call you a liar!
It’s Planet X, otherwise known as Nibiru.
Possibly International Space Station. It’s amazingly bright with a setting sun.
Regards,
Star Trek 3 — 8 July 2016
Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human — 2017
You may want to call me a liar, but the U.S. Naval Observatory says that in Seattle Venus will set at 00:15 this evening, which is already Monday. She sets later in Seattle than in Boston because you further north and you are further to the west of the center of your time zone. On the day of the equinox, where latitude doesn't matter much, sunset set will be about 25 minutes later, local time, in Seattle than in Boston.
You have to be pretty astute to be surprised that Venus set so late. Asger Aaboe was teaching an introductory astronomy class at Yale in 1967 that was comprised entirely of elite undergraduate mathematicians. He posed the question to the class of whether or not one could see the moon in the daytime. A lively and vigorous discussion ensued, with a number of divergent opinions being hotly defended. To settle the issue Professor Aaboe suggested the students look out the window.
Might have been 0”s alien bodyguard hanging around off duty. (look it up online)...: )
Hey, excellent site - thanks for the link!
I’d love to see a remake of “The Last Starfighter”, with modern special effects.
I saw it too. just after dusk it was brighter than all get-out. Could be seen clearly even through prison security lighting.
CC
My wife saw a star last night and she is almost blind. First one she’s seen in many years. Don’t know if it was the same one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.