why is the north star to my south?

[Percyhahn]

just drove home from gfs, and noticed the north star near the moon. (im guessing its the north star, as i learned it the brightest star in the sky, and checked for other stars when i got out which noen were anywhere near as bright) i know it may be in different positions from where you are located, but im near peterborough, so not that far north, so why is, what im guessing is the north star, to my south, and very slightly east?

 

[Stu DemonD]

Er, that wouldn't be the 'North Star' then - which isn't the brightest star in the sky anyway, far from it...

 

[bludvl_x19]

You sure youre not looking at Venus?

 

[dave]

brightest star is the sun isnt it? because i can see that in daylight

 

[bredsticz]

brightest star is the sun isnt it? because i can see that in daylight

Only the brightest to us. North star is the brightest at night. Sun isn't seen at night

 

[Stu DemonD]

North star is the brightest at night.

No it isn't! :bang:

EDIT - here we go, with North Star being referred to as Polaris:

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-brightest-stars-a13118 <--not even in Top 20.

I think it comes in the top 50 though

 

[The Beard]

When we were on holiday in Nice in August I noticed a very bright star which actually had a slightly red hue to it, although that can (apparently) change to a bright white if the atmospherics are right which I was told was actually the Mir space station.

Perhaps this is what you saw. It also doesn't stay in the same position so orbits a little like a star.

 

[bredsticz]

No it isn't! :bang:

EDIT - here we go, with North Star being referred to as Polaris:

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-brightest-stars-a13118 <--not even in Top 20.

I think it comes in the top 50 though

Well it's close enough
It's noticeable then! More than most!

 

[bludvl_x19]

When we were on holiday in Nice in August I noticed a very bright star which actually had a slightly red hue to it, although that can (apparently) change to a bright white if the atmospherics are right which I was told was actually the Mir space station.

Perhaps this is what you saw. It also doesn't stay in the same position so orbits a little like a star.

If it was August Beard, then it wasn't Mir. Mir ended up strewn over the Australian desert, or the Atlantic ocean, I cant remember where, or when.


Crap, I'm getting old

 

[The Beard]

When we were on holiday in Nice in August I noticed a very bright star which actually had a slightly red hue to it, although that can (apparently) change to a bright white if the atmospherics are right which I was told was actually the Mir space station.

Perhaps this is what you saw. It also doesn't stay in the same position so orbits a little like a star.

It's a bugger when you quote yourself, but.....

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir"]Mir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Mir_entre_l%27espace_et_la_Terre_edit.jpg" class="image" title="Mir on 26 September 1996 as seen from the departing Space Shuttle Atlantis during STS-79."><img alt="A view of Mir backdropped by the limb of the Earth. In view are four cylindrical modules covered in white insulation arranged in a cross shape about a small, central sphere. Another module projects upward from this sphere, and a small module is attached to the far end of that. Each module is sprouting various solar arrays, cranes and other spindly equipment, with Soyuz and Progress spacecraft docked to the top and bottom ports of the complex." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Mir_entre_l%27espace_et_la_Terre_edit.jpg/240px-Mir_entre_l%27espace_et_la_Terre_edit.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/0/0a/Mir_entre_l%27espace_et_la_Terre_edit.jpg/240px-Mir_entre_l%27espace_et_la_Terre_edit.jpg[/ame]

Someone's going to get a punch on the snotter over this tomorrow. It would appear that Mir burnt up on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere in 2001. But, it could be its replacement, the International Space Station.

 

[Shadeyman]

i know it may be in different positions

The North star is always in the North sky, hence its name.

A bright star in the south this time of year might not actually be a star at all. Jupiter is the largest of our planets and is low in the southern sky this time of year. Can be easily seen with the naked eye, looks like a bright star.

Edit
This will explain it better.
http://www.popastro.com/youngstargazers/thismonth.html

 

[Percyhahn]

it could be Jupiter, or a space station . if its a clear night tonight, have a look at the moon, and you will see it for yourselves .
i dont know how anyone has made sens of stars, there are so many, that it would be so easy to count one twice when making maps/constellations lol.
FACT- there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the earth

 

[Percyhahn]

btw, if you look at the moon now, its to the right a bit, and down, only star/station near it

 

[mnbrennan]

You can tell the difference between stars and planets/stations.

Stars tend to twinkle because they produce their own energy.

Planets/stations don't twinkle because they are reflecting the energy of stars

 

[alainax]

Jupiter is very bright and clear just now.

The brightest "star" in the sky for me just now.

Last time I checked was just to the left of the moon, will be different now though.

 

[bredsticz]

Why don't you all just use google skymaps on your phone Tells you what they all are

 

[The Beard]

You can tell the difference between stars and planets/stations.

Stars tend to twinkle because they produce their own energy.

Planets/stations don't twinkle because they are reflecting the energy of stars

I looked at the one we could see in France through binoculars and it was "twinkling" but as I watched with the benefit of magnification the light seemed to be almost pulsing which gave me the impression it was perhaps rotating or tumbling.

Jupiter is very bright and clear just now.

The brightest "star" in the sky for me just now.

Last time I checked was just to the left of the moon, will be different now though.

I know what you mean. To me it was left of the moon, right of the brickworks chimney and just above the gasometer.

The brightest star in the sky for me is you, you gorgeous creature, you.... just a minute.....you're getting married. Get thee behind me Satan. Strumpet.

 

[rallycinq]

Do you not follow the end of the great bear to find it?

Cheers

D

 

[alainax]

I know what you mean. To me it was left of the moon, right of the brickworks chimney and just above the gasometer.

The brightest star in the sky for me is you, you gorgeous creature, you.... just a minute.....you're getting married. Get thee behind me Satan. Strumpet.

Are you sure it wasnt above and to the right of the gasometer??


I to rely on google sky maps on my phone, my childhood costco telecsope all but a distant memory

Married?? oh crap yeah... in 12 weeks!! how to lose 4 stone on 12 weeks..


However, I do very much appreciate the sweetest comments you make, I wonder if they will continue when I am a "mrs"

 

[alainax]

Do you not follow the end of the great bear to find it?

Cheers

D

If I were a funnier person, I'm sure there would be a smutty line in there somewhere... Something to do with you getting the "end of(f)" and a "great bare"

But alas, the peroxcide has went to my head