Calling All in the Southern Hemisphere. The Crazily Bright Star. What is it? PHOTOS

I am of the opinion it is Venus, though there is no question in my opinion it is getting brighter/bigger now than before.
We walk most nights and have done for years and the size and brightness of it has got me wondering what is going on up there.
Maybe its an illusion or in my head, but it goes seemed to have changed

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


As close as I could get to your location, date and time

Venus

Why the luminosity changes:

Venus is always brighter than any star. The greatest luminosity, apparent magnitude -4.9,[8] occurs during crescent phase when it is near the Earth. Venus fades to about magnitude -3 when it is backlit by the Sun.[7] The planet is bright enough to be seen in the middle of the day when the sky is very clear,[72] and the planet can be easy to see when the Sun is low on the horizon. As an inferior planet, it always lies within about 47° of the Sun.[9]

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


"Aren't planets supposed to pulsate in different colors? "

Actually, it's the other way around. Stars twinkle, planets do not.

Venus, Jupiter, wandering planet....whatever it is it looks absolutely huge.

Nice pictures by the way OP.

reply to post by eonpeon


Planets can also display scintillation.

There's always an exception though. In very turbulent air, even planets can appear to twinkle. The air is moving so rapidly and so randomly that even something as large as a planet can twinkle.

www.badastronomy.com...

Originally posted by spikey
Venus, Jupiter, wandering planet....whatever it is it looks absolutely huge.

Nice pictures by the way OP.

And Venus isnt that huge Venus looks our own Earth.

reply to post by BIGPoJo

What type of telescope did you use to measure the apparent brightness? Where is your documentation? Just saying you remember it being less bright is not evidence enough, especially when there are people out there scientifically measuring the brightness of this object.

Oh please, don't give me that bull#.
I don't need a telescope to see it. It's bright enough and everyone I know is puzzled and amazed by it.

My documentation is the photographs provided. Any person that looks at the sky almost every night of their life in amazement would notice the difference.

Sorry that it I didn't document it when it was still 'normal'. I can't predict the future you know...

reply to post by masterp

Are you people talking about the big yellow sphere in the center of the photos or the bright star at the lower right quarter of the pictures? because if you are talking about the big yellow thing in the middle, it cannot be Jupiter, it is too big. Jupiter is a tiny dot in the sky, barely visible with naked eye.

We are talking about the bright object at the bottom left of the image, around 7'oclock. The one near the moon.

reply to post by Pauligirl


Thanks for posting that..

Venus does look a little closer in that photograph than in mine, but I think it's all about your location and perspective.

reply to post by eonpeon


I say that because Mars normally has a red/green shine to it. And does appear to twinkle.
Oh well, we all learn something new every day.

That's why I joined this site.

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


Hey Tripple_Helix - Not having a dig, some times things just get taken a step too far. Does everything have to be a conspiracy round here?

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


It is the birth of Jesus - Christmas.

The bright star - the wise men - the dumb humans?

PS - I am not putting you down.

reply to post by fiftyfifty


Hi again,

No, not at all. I just hear people swearing that it's Venus, then Sirius, then Jupiter. We had a discussion about it around the fire the other night when we had the family over and none of us could say for sure what it was.

Not everything is a conspiracy, I know that.

You know how hectic life gets- you don't always have time to install this program/that app. You don't always have the money for a telescope etc. Especially not after buying a decent camera! That's why I thought it would help to put it out there, or here ...

...and it would be of interest to others.

reply to post by catwhoknowsplusone

It is the birth of Jesus - Christmas. The bright star - the wise men - the dumb humans? PS - I am not putting you down.

It's cool, I have a tendency to take things personally. Doesn't mean they are meant that way.

You do make a point though.... hmmmm Although, I always thought that 'bright star' in the Bible to be a UFO (please don't smack me)

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


Hi.

Not gonna smack you - loveya.

Just trying to make a point.

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


Thank you. So apparently the purpose of the photos was to capture the moon, right?

reply to post by masterp


Originally, the view from my house with the moon and that star, and the timing- just seemed so fitting. And I had just gotten my new lens.

Today is a stunning day. Not a cloud in sight so hopefully this evening I can get a couple more photographs of this 'Venus or Jupiter' ... That's if I'm not working late again tonight... :/

Originally posted by Tripple_Helix
Hi all, I am posting more of a question than anything else..

For those who are in the Southern Hemisphere, I am sure you have all noticed the really bright star in the sky... It rises first at dusk, with only a small amount of other stars visible. The color is deep yellow, almost orange. It does not pulsate, but does have some lines coming off it. (That might just be me needing glasses)

I have been watching this star for almost two years now. And it is definitely getting brighter, and deeper in color.

I was just hoping someone would be able to tell me what exactly it is.

I thought it was Sirius A, or maybe Venus, but it just doesn't match their descriptions. Aren't planets supposed to pulsate in different colors?

I found another description of it on the web- very similar to mine...
So we are definitely talking about the same thing, and obviously I am not the only one that's curious about it.

Any experts out there care to share what they know about it?

Here is a photo I took of it the other night. Not the best, but something, at least.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: To add photo

And another, I know it's a bit blurry, but It gives you an Idea of the color as seen with the eye.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: (no reason given)

Please note: These photos have not been edited in any way.
Also, they are mine.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by Tripple_Helix
Hi all, I am posting more of a question than anything else..

For those who are in the Southern Hemisphere, I am sure you have all noticed the really bright star in the sky... It rises first at dusk, with only a small amount of other stars visible. The color is deep yellow, almost orange. It does not pulsate, but does have some lines coming off it. (That might just be me needing glasses)

I have been watching this star for almost two years now. And it is definitely getting brighter, and deeper in color.

I was just hoping someone would be able to tell me what exactly it is.

I thought it was Sirius A, or maybe Venus, but it just doesn't match their descriptions. Aren't planets supposed to pulsate in different colors?

I found another description of it on the web- very similar to mine...
So we are definitely talking about the same thing, and obviously I am not the only one that's curious about it.

Any experts out there care to share what they know about it?

Here is a photo I took of it the other night. Not the best, but something, at least.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: To add photo

And another, I know it's a bit blurry, but It gives you an Idea of the color as seen with the eye.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: (no reason given)

Please note: These photos have not been edited in any way.
Also, they are mine.

edit on 19-12-2011 by Tripple_Helix because: (no reason given)

reply to post by Gossamer


What?

reply to post by Tripple_Helix


I live in South Africa, and i have seen the same thing. This could be Jupiter or Venus, and yet, the media would let us know of any planet to look for that would shine very brightly in the Southern Hemisphere. This i think are being kept secret form us. Dont ever take your eyes for the skies! you dont know what you might miss. Keep your eyes on the prize!

Regards
Gossamer