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Old July 6th 03, 11:07 PM
Hap Griffin
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Default Light in the sky...

You are most certainly seeing the planet Mars, which is VERY bright at this
time and will get brighter until its closest approach in August. Here is a
photograph taken at my observatory last week showing its unique reddish/gold
color and white polar ice cap.

www.machunter.org/genes_work/gene_mars.html

Hap Griffin
www.machunter.org


"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Rick Foster wrote:

We have "noticed" it, between these times, and I didn't mean to indicate

that it is
stationary in the sky. I have never seen it rise, but I am sure it

must. At 3AM it
is fairly high in the sky, but I have never stayed up later to see it

set. We
watched last night, as the Earth rotated, and this golden "star" moved

along the top
of the apt. building we live in.

As usual Min's advice is misleading, to say the least. You're almost
certainly seeing the planet Mars, which is approaching opposition
(which it will reach near the end of August) and so rises around
sunset. Try looking ESE near the horizon just a little earlier in the
evening and you should see it shining steadily while the stars around
it are 'twinkling' -- this effect is characteristic of planets.

--Odysseus