What am I looking at?

There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?

The Little Cesna

"Carrie" wrote in message
m...
There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?

Hi Carrie, If indeed your coordinates are correct, and if you can see
if the stars of the Big Dipper's handle point the way to this star, then
what you are seeing is the Star called Arcturus.
Mark

Carrie wrote:
There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?

Are you looking to the south? If so, my guess is that you are looking
at Sirius and it's below and to the left of the constellation of Orion
the Hunter.

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt

On 13 Nov 2004 21:18:10 -0800, Carrie wrote:

There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?


From your location and time, it is possible that the star you are referring
to is Arcturus in the constellation Bootes.




--
Martin
"Photographs From the Universe of Amateur Astronomy"
http://home.earthlink.net/~martinhowell

"Carrie" wrote in message
m...
There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?

Carrie,

You decribe perfectly the appearance of a bright star low in the sky.
Because their light passes through a thick layer of atmosphere when they are
low, which acts like a prism, and because the Earth acts like a big
radiator, starlight is broken up into the colors of the rainbow and stars
appear to twinkle and "blink" different colors.

If it appears fixed, you are almost certainly looking at a bright star.
Keep in mind, though, that stars move across the sky from east to west,
appearing to travel around Polaris, the North Star. If you look later, the
star will have moved. A good way to insure it was a star is to look at
about the same time the next night.

Because of the changing positions of the stars during the night, you would
need to supply the time you saw the star, and the direction for a positive
identification. Very early in the evening brilliant Capella is low in the
southeast, and I had an e-mail a while ago asking about this twinkling and
color changing star.

Clear skies, Alan

"Carrie" wrote in message
m...
There is a very bright star (I think) that is blinking different
colors--red, blue, green, white. I can't discern any movement, so I
don't think it's a plane. It's very bright. I do not know my
constellations, but I THINK it is below and to the left of the big
dipper. I am in southeast Pennslyvania. Does anyone see what I'm
talking about and know what it is?

If you want to do observing do NOT talk in terms of
"left or right" of something. You must learn your directions first and
speak in terms of NEWS.

rection for a positive
identification. Very early in the evening brilliant Capella is low in the
southeast, and I had an e-mail a while ago asking about this twinkling and
color changing star.

Clear skies, Alan

Alan:
How about Capella being in the North-east....

Sirius and Rigel and more to the south-east but somewhat later risers.

jon

"Jon Isaacs" wrote in message
...
rection for a positive
identification. Very early in the evening brilliant Capella is low in
the
southeast, and I had an e-mail a while ago asking about this twinkling
and
color changing star.

Clear skies, Alan

Alan:
How about Capella being in the North-east....

Sirius and Rigel and more to the south-east but somewhat later risers.

Jon,

Yup, it should have been northeast for Capella. I shouldn't write before
I've had a good breakfast, and am glad there are folks keeping an eye on me
g.

Clear skies, Alan

Jon,

Yup, it should have been northeast for Capella. I shouldn't write before
I've had a good breakfast, and am glad there are folks keeping an eye on me
g.

I guess thats why someone else writes the columns and you are just around for
"Eye Candy"....

G

jon