Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Bright light in the sky...

Options
  • 21-11-2005 3:34am
    #1
    Dale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 109 ✭✭


    Everyday when I travel back home from college on the coach I notice (as we're travelling up the A5 (England)) a really bright light in the sky. Now maybe this is just the north star or something, but I thought that was higher in the sky? As this light is around 20/25 degrees high. What could it be? Oh and I see this constantly everyday at 5pm.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    Sounds like Venus. It currently follows the sun after sunset, is very bright. A nice 10X magnification binos will show its crescent shape - very nice!

    Seanie.


  • Options
    #3
    Dale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 109 ✭✭Dale


    Seanie M wrote:
    Sounds like Venus. It currently follows the sun after sunset, is very bright. A nice 10X magnification binos will show its crescent shape - very nice!

    Seanie.
    I'll have to see if I can get my hands on some. :) Thank you mate.


  • Options
    #4
    Kobayashi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 67 ✭✭Kobayashi


    Sure it's not the International Space Station? Was visible for the last two weeks and was the brightest "star" in the sky.


  • Options
    #5
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    Kobayashi wrote:
    Sure it's not the International Space Station? Was visible for the last two weeks and was the brightest "star" in the sky.

    It wouldn't have been that, as the ISS moves across at different times each day. He noticed this atthe same time each day.


  • Options
    #6
    hellboy99
    Registered Users Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭hellboy99


    it's out again tonight and it must be the ISS, checked it out with my telescope and can make out the form and panels on it.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    hellboy99 wrote:
    it's out again tonight and it must be the ISS, checked it out with my telescope and can make out the form and panels on it.

    Wow! You must have a really cool klaeidoscope there!! :D


  • Options
    #8
    Beyond curious.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Beyond curious.


    hellboy99 wrote:
    it's out again tonight and it must be the ISS, checked it out with my telescope and can make out the form and panels on it.

    It is the planet Venus. The space stasion is a moving object and not nearly as bright as Venus.


  • Options
    #9
    Flukey
    Registered Users Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    Assuming you are traveling westwards, towards the sunset, then it certainly is Venus. It is visible evenings now, just after sunset and very low in the sky. It is definitely not the ISS.


  • Options
    #10
    Darkstar05
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭Darkstar05


    Most Likeky Venus. Doubtful its the ISS, as when I have seen the ISS, its magnitude seems to flare, for a brief time, then diminish, as the solar panels reflect the Suns light. The ISS can normally be seen as what looks like a slow moving high altitude aircraft, or satellite. which will suddenly flare to a bright light, then diminish.

    Venus is a steady bright planet, normally seen following the sun in the evening, or rising before the sun in the morning.


  • Options
    #11
    Sev
    Registered Users Posts: 1,328 ✭✭✭Sev


    Darkstar05 wrote:
    The ISS can normally be seen as what looks like a slow moving high altitude aircraft, or satellite. which will suddenly flare to a bright light, then diminish.

    No thats not right, youre thinking of an Iridium flare.

    The ISS should just appear as a star of fairly constant brightness slowly traversing the night sky from horizon to horizon. It does steadily increase in brightness until it reaches about its highest point, but that effect is not at all significant.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement