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Strange light in the sky...



 
 
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  #11  
Old March 2nd 04, 06:41 AM
Odysseus
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xxx wrote:

I've been able to see it almost every night since the beginning of summer
always in the same position in the sky. It might have just been me but I've
seen it "pulse" in brightness of light and lower in the sky as if it was
setting like the sun/moon.


If it has been in the same position every evening for months it can't
be a celestial object. You say it only acts "as if it was setting" --
if it doesn't actually set, or appear higher in the sky the earlier
you observe it, that pretty much clinches it being terrestrial.

Could it be that you're seeing the landing lights of jets approaching
Pearson, in alignment with your location? They come in almost
continuously, only about a minute apart (during peak hours at least),
and the pulsating or oscillating effect you see might actually be
from one aircraft replacing another in the 'train'. If you're in
Etobicoke or northeastern Mississauga you might be in line with
Runway 33 (330° is between NW and NNW); the wind probably comes off
Lake Ontario most evenings, so it would seem plausible that the 150°
landing approach, toward the lake, be used.

--
Odysseus
  #12  
Old March 2nd 04, 06:42 AM
george
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I'm not trying to be rude here but you guys who can't figure out positions
of celestial objects should just go to your nearest bookstore and purchase a
star map. Why rely on other people for information when you can figure
something out for yourself?


xxx wrote in message ...
Ever since summer I've noticed a bright light in the sky, at first I

thought
it was a star but I could not see any others. I'm located just south of
Toronto Ontario Canada. This light appears towards the northwestern part

of
the sky and I can only see it at night and when it's clear...So I'm left
wondering what it is exactly...Star? Satellite? Other? Any information

would
be great as I see it just about every night and it's driving me crazy...




  #13  
Old March 2nd 04, 06:49 AM
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"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
xxx wrote:

I've been able to see it almost every night since the beginning of

summer
always in the same position in the sky. It might have just been me but

I've
seen it "pulse" in brightness of light and lower in the sky as if it was
setting like the sun/moon.


If it has been in the same position every evening for months it can't
be a celestial object. You say it only acts "as if it was setting" --
if it doesn't actually set, or appear higher in the sky the earlier
you observe it, that pretty much clinches it being terrestrial.

Could it be that you're seeing the landing lights of jets approaching
Pearson, in alignment with your location? They come in almost
continuously, only about a minute apart (during peak hours at least),
and the pulsating or oscillating effect you see might actually be
from one aircraft replacing another in the 'train'. If you're in
Etobicoke or northeastern Mississauga you might be in line with
Runway 33 (330° is between NW and NNW); the wind probably comes off
Lake Ontario most evenings, so it would seem plausible that the 150°
landing approach, toward the lake, be used.

--
Odysseus


Sorry I should have been clear on what I was trying to say. I've always
seen it in the same area of the sky each night (northwest), I've only
noticed it being there since last summer and I figured it was a satellite
that was close to us. There is an airport close by but it's only a single
bright white light. I can't see it anymore so I figure "setting" is earth
spinning, which makes it appear to be setting (if that makes sense). The
time period is only a couple hours between 8pm and 11pm and then I can no
longer see it. Hopefully it will be clear enough tomorrow night and I'll try
and grab some rough photos and post them some place, maybe that will be
clearer...


  #14  
Old March 2nd 04, 07:00 AM
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xxx wrote in message ...
Ever since summer I've noticed a bright light in the sky, at first I

thought
it was a star but I could not see any others. I'm located just south of
Toronto Ontario Canada. This light appears towards the northwestern part

of
the sky and I can only see it at night and when it's clear...So I'm left
wondering what it is exactly...Star? Satellite? Other? Any information

would
be great as I see it just about every night and it's driving me crazy...




Sorry for the double post...But is it possible that it's a satellite
reflecting light off the sun? I'm starting to develop an interest in
astronomy and to see what else is out there...so at least one good thing
came from all this...


  #15  
Old March 2nd 04, 08:06 AM
Charles D.H. Crosbie
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On 3/2/04 12:42 AM, in article ,
"george" wrote:

I'm not trying to be rude here but you guys who can't figure out positions
of celestial objects should just go to your nearest bookstore and purchase a
star map. Why rely on other people for information when you can figure
something out for yourself?



Because this seems unusual. I want it to be Venus, but as "XXX" said, it's
been in the same position for some time now... It's probably just Venus,
but' it's very eye-catching:

I, too, keep thinking they're landing lights, but it's bigger and brighter
(I've lived under Pearson's flight path for my entire life, and this is no
airplane)... It's just Venus, up close and personal, with a hefty mix of
imagination.

It could be fuelled by having had such a great view of Mars through to this
fall; we look up to where "big red" was, and now we see a blue/white planet
it's "place" (naturally seeming brighter because of the hue).

As for flickering, pulsing, rising and setting, I have no idea; again, it
could just be one's imagination at work (or wishful thinking that Toronto,
Canada has been watched by a giant UFO since this summer).

Alas, it's just Venus...

http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/cache/25620.gif

....albeit spectacular.


xxx wrote in message ...
Ever since summer I've noticed a bright light in the sky, at first I

thought
it was a star but I could not see any others. I'm located just south of
Toronto Ontario Canada. This light appears towards the northwestern part

of
the sky and I can only see it at night and when it's clear...So I'm left
wondering what it is exactly...Star? Satellite? Other? Any information

would
be great as I see it just about every night and it's driving me crazy...





  #16  
Old March 2nd 04, 08:10 PM
Mike Ruskai
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On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 20:37:38 -0500, xxx wrote:

Ever since summer I've noticed a bright light in the sky, at first I thought
it was a star but I could not see any others. I'm located just south of
Toronto Ontario Canada. This light appears towards the northwestern part of
the sky and I can only see it at night and when it's clear...So I'm left
wondering what it is exactly...Star? Satellite? Other? Any information would
be great as I see it just about every night and it's driving me crazy...


Assuming you're confusing northwest and southwest, it's likely Venus.


--
- Mike

Remove 'spambegone.net' and reverse to send e-mail.


  #17  
Old March 2nd 04, 08:28 PM
Opus Penguin
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Mike Ruskai wrote:
On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 20:37:38 -0500, xxx wrote:
Ever since summer I've noticed a bright light in the sky, at first I
thought it was a star but I could not see any others. I'm located
just south of Toronto Ontario Canada. This light appears towards the
northwestern part of the sky and I can only see it at night and when
it's clear...So I'm left wondering what it is exactly...Star?
Satellite? Other? Any information would be great as I see it just
about every night and it's driving me crazy...


Assuming you're confusing northwest and southwest, it's likely Venus.


Or a Roswell experiment gone horribly awry!


--
____________________________
Pear pimples for hairy fishnuts?


  #18  
Old March 3rd 04, 02:31 PM
Odysseus
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xxx wrote:

Sorry for the double post...But is it possible that it's a satellite
reflecting light off the sun? I'm starting to develop an interest in
astronomy and to see what else is out there...so at least one good thing
came from all this...


Most satellites appear to move quite rapidly; when conditions are
right for them to catch sunlight over most of the sky they take only
a few minutes to go from one horizon to the other. Usually one can
track them for only a minute or two. Geostationary satellites stay in
the same position, but are always seen in the south and tend to be
very faint (being much further away than those in low orbit).

--
Odysseus
 




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