July 4th, 2008

[hsandlar]

Was given an extra credit question yesterday in physics. I have searched all over the net and can not seem to come up with an answer.<br /><br />The question is: On July 4th, 2008 if you watch the 4th of july show on the beach, what planet is visible on the eastern horizon? <br /><br />The location is monmouth county, new jersey<br /><br />Any help?<br /><br />Thanks

 

[bobw]

Not PC here to do homework for people but I have a hint.<br /><br />If the fireworks start at sundown and the planet is rising at the horizon, that means something.<br /><br />Where will it be at midnight? Sunrise? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[origin]

<font color="yellow">If the fireworks start at sundown and the planet is rising at the horizon, that means something.</font><br /><br />It doesn't mean much other than it isn't Venus or Mercury. He should check out someting like 'planet positions' on google. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[larper]

I think its a trick question. Earth is always visible on the horizon. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

hsandler, welcome to Space.com!!<br /><br />No, that's not the answer. There is a planet rising in the east during the evening.<br />A bright one.<br /><br />I would suggest the the poster do a search for sites that allow you to see the sky at a particular date and time.<br />Maybe SkyandTelecope or astronomy.com<br /><br />Perhaps Heavens-above.com allows you to do that.<br />I don't know for sure, since I have a purchased program that gave me the answer. But with a little research (which is the idea of homework) the OP can find the solution. It just takes some effort.<br /><br />I know I'm a curmudgeon, but I won't do your homework for you.<br /><br />I've told you what you need to search for.<br /><br />Give it a try. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Wayne<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

I know what it is. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />But not saying though. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> .<br /><br />Mean ain't I??? BTW, it is my fave.<br /><br />Clue though. If a planet is rising in the east or in this case the south east as the Sun is setting,<br />is it closer or further from the Sun?<br /><br />Basic geometry here will rule out at least two planets.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[bearack]

But doesn't it loose it's "color" from that position so hard to tell....granted, it's huge <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[weeman]

<font color="yellow"> Clue though. If a planet is rising in the east or in this case the south east as the Sun is setting, <br />is it closer or further from the Sun? </font><br /><br />Farther from the Sun, Mercury and Venus would not be visible. Mars is rising in the early evening sky as of right now, so it shouldn't be Mars. <br /><br />I would say Jupiter or Saturn. Those are typically everyone's favorites <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi weeman,<br /><br />It is indeed one of the giants you mentioned, but I'm not saying which. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Just think, which consellation is the Sun passing through on Friday 4th July 2008?<br /><br />Answer is Gemini.<br /><br />So where is 180 degrees away from there?<br /><br />Then the answer will become apparent.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[zeldun]

There is a good softwere on the net called Stellarium which would be helpful. It's a good tool to study the sky even if it's clouds outside. Download it at http://www.stellarium.org/ and enjoy. You only have to type in your (or other) coordinates and then watch how the sky looks like at any time from that position. <br /><br />btw:<br /><br />You can check your own exact coordinates using Google Earth.

 

[alokmohan]

Which giant?

 

[datalor]

I think everyone here has provided enough information and should stop posting. Perhaps this was a question on sociology and not physics?<br />Does not take a master mind to google stars, planets and such. It takes creativity to get your homework done for you though. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

*Sigh*<br /><br />http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/<br /><br />Here, go look it up for yourself. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

I think it's actually an even more interesting question than the OP might realise. Being able to reflexively answer that question (without researching it...) probably says a lot for one's mastery of the night sky. <br /><br />Simulation software is fun for figuring out when that object is going to be in the frame with some other object, such as a DSO... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[dragon04]

Without being able to say anything (or rather unwilling to do so), the question is interesting for more than one reason.<br /><br />And no, by no stretch of the imagination do I have anything resembling a mastery of the night sky. I have to look stuff up. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Part og grokking the sky is knowing what changes position quickly, and what changes little from year to year. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Hey Yev, <br /><br />If I use that link you gave us, there's a COW rising on the evening of July 4, 2008 on the Eastern Horizon.<br /><br />Do you really think that's an acceptable answer?!?! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

I am strangely Mooved by your comment. And that's no Bull. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[3488]

<img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /><br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[dragon04]

Oh sure. Milk that reply for all it's worth. Tar us and feather us while you're at it.<br /><br />*shakes fist* <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>