What was this bright object?

This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very bright
"star" high in the western sky. Sometimes airplanes appear as a bright
star, but always move, and thru binoculars they usually resolve into
planes... this object remained round and bright.

I would have thought it was Venus, but isn't it in the west at evening?

Thanks,

Judy
Berkeley, CA

Subject: What was this bright object?
From: "judy"
Date: 3/2/04 1:42 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very bright
"star" high in the western sky. Sometimes airplanes appear as a bright
star, but always move, and thru binoculars they usually resolve into
planes... this object remained round and bright.

I would have thought it was Venus, but isn't it in the west at evening?

Thanks,

Judy
Berkeley, CA
*************************
May have been Jupiter...

Chas P.

That's Jupiter.

"judy" wrote

This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very bright
"star" high in the western sky.

judy nous a écrit :

This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very
bright "star" high in the western sky. Sometimes airplanes appear as
a bright star, but always move, and thru binoculars they usually
resolve into planes... this object remained round and bright.

I would have thought it was Venus, but isn't it in the west at
evening?

Yes, Venus is in the West in the evening - nowadays.
In the morning, it's Jupiter.

--
Norbert. (no X for the answer)
======================================
knowing the universe - stellar and galaxies evolution
http://nrumiano.free.fr
images of the sky http://images.ciel.free.fr
======================================

"judy" wrote in message
om...
This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very bright
"star" high in the western sky. Sometimes airplanes appear as a bright
star, but always move, and thru binoculars they usually resolve into
planes... this object remained round and bright.

I would have thought it was Venus, but isn't it in the west at evening?

Thanks,

Judy
Berkeley, CA

Several folks have suggested Jupiter, but it had just set. Could it have
been a weather balloon?

Ted Molczan

No, not a weather balloon as it was not drifting - I watched it for some
time.

But if Jupiter had just set... hmm? I'll check in the morning to see if
it's still there...

Thanks,

Judy
"Ted Molczan" wrote in message
ble.rogers.com...
"judy" wrote in message
om...
This morning about 7 am, in a fairly bright dawn sky, I saw a very
bright
"star" high in the western sky. Sometimes airplanes appear as a bright
star, but always move, and thru binoculars they usually resolve into
planes... this object remained round and bright.

I would have thought it was Venus, but isn't it in the west at evening?

Thanks,

Judy
Berkeley, CA

Several folks have suggested Jupiter, but it had just set. Could it have
been a weather balloon?

Ted Molczan

Subject: What was this bright object?
From: "judy"
Date: 3/2/04 5:36 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: m


No, not a weather balloon as it was not drifting - I watched it for some
time.

But if Jupiter had just set... hmm? I'll check in the morning to see if
it's still there...

Thanks,

***************************
Did it twinkle like a star?
It could have been the bright star Arcturus!!!

Chas P.

Nope, Chas, nice and steady.

I think I will go with Jupiter now - I saw it again in the same spot this
am - and it may have been somewhat earlier than I said in my first post -
closer to 6 am than 7.

Thanks,

Judy
"CHASLX200" wrote in message
...
Subject: What was this bright object?
From: "judy"
Date: 3/2/04 5:36 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: m


No, not a weather balloon as it was not drifting - I watched it for some
time.

But if Jupiter had just set... hmm? I'll check in the morning to see if
it's still there...

Thanks,

***************************
Did it twinkle like a star?
It could have been the bright star Arcturus!!!

Chas P.

"judy" wrote in message
m...
Nope, Chas, nice and steady.

I think I will go with Jupiter now - I saw it again in the same spot this
am - and it may have been somewhat earlier than I said in my first post -
closer to 6 am than 7.

At 6 AM PST, Jupiter is just 10 deg above the western horizon, as seen from
Berkeley, CA. That is very low - you would have needed a nearly unobstructed
view of the horizon to spot it, An object that low is difficult to reconcile
with your original description, "a very bright "star" high in the western
sky".

It is common for observers to perceive low objects as though they are much
higher. Could that have been your experience?

Ted Molczan

Well, I have seen this object in relatively the same place 3 mornings in a
row now(between 6 am to 6:30). I am not a good judge of angle above the
horizon, but it is greater than 10 degrees, for sure, because Mount
Tamalpais is on the horizon for me and the object is quite a bit above
that - perhaps 30 degrees? "High in the western sky", to me, is well above
the horizon but not "almost overhead". Also, it may not be due west, but
somewhat north of west (about where the sun is setting at this time of
year).

I know this doesn't rank high on the list of the sky's mysteries, but I like
to know what I'm looking at, and I'm not familiar enough with the planets
and stars to identify it. Thanks to all who have taken the time to help me.

Judy


"Ted Molczan" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
"judy" wrote in message
m...
Nope, Chas, nice and steady.

I think I will go with Jupiter now - I saw it again in the same spot
this
am - and it may have been somewhat earlier than I said in my first
post -
closer to 6 am than 7.

At 6 AM PST, Jupiter is just 10 deg above the western horizon, as seen
from
Berkeley, CA. That is very low - you would have needed a nearly
unobstructed
view of the horizon to spot it, An object that low is difficult to
reconcile
with your original description, "a very bright "star" high in the western
sky".

It is common for observers to perceive low objects as though they are much
higher. Could that have been your experience?

Ted Molczan