Unknow Object In Space Keeps Getting Bigger By The Year

[DamonNation]

My name is Alan, I live in Riggins Idaho, over the past 8-10 years me and other people have noticed a start that is bigger than any other stars in the sky, at first we thought the star was planet venus, but when we look at a star chart we all agreed that it was not venus. Someone else mentioned that the light we see might be the sun reflecting off the international space station, but when I talked to a science teacher, she said that the probability of us seeing the reflection of the space station was minute. When I pointed it out to her about a year ago she said she didn't know what it was. This bright light seems to get brighter each year, you can see it tonight between 2 am and 4 am if you were here. This brighter light if you was at my spot on a map, I live 17 miles north of the fourty fith parallel; would be, if north was 0/360 degrees then turn 175 degrees, it is in the sky usually from 2am to 4 am, at a 30 -50 degree angle and it moves acrossed the sky slowly following the moonup to another 80 degrees I already have a video tape of it but now I am trying to edit the video. I will be able to tell you my exact coordinates when I unpack my G.P.S.If you know what it might be please contact me...DamonNation

 

[MeteorWayne]

First question, is what time of night are you seeing it right now?

Second is what direction are you looking at the time?

Third, is how long is it in the sky at that location. Seconds? Minutes? Hours?

The only thing that has gotten brighter over the last few years is the ISS, but since it is orbit, it travels across the sky rather rapidly...a few minutes, maybe 8 minutes for an overhead pass from horizon to horizon.

The other bright objects such as Venus and Jupiter appear at various times of the year in various parts of the sky. Venus is currently very bright in the west after sunset, setting a few hours later. In 6 months, it will be visible in the morning.

Jupiter currently rises about 2 hours before the sun in the east before sunrise.

There are a half dozen very bright stars that are visible at different times of the year.

That's why we need to know when, and in what direction you are seeing "it".

And BTW, they are ALL the same size to the unaided eye; the only thing that varies is the brightness. Many people incorrectly assume that brighter means bigger; that is not true.

In a telescope or binoculars, you can see the size of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars. etc, and of course you can see that the moon and the sun are bigger with your eye.

If you can give us more details, we can help.

Welcome to Space.com!

BTW, topic being moved to Ask the Astronomer...

Wayne

 

[Fallingstar1971]

Well

Southeast of you is Payette National Forest........currently, If its early night I will call Arcturus.......

If its Early morning, then I will call Jupiter.

Mercury and Venus should be WEST of your position, in the direction of the setting sun. Venus, hands down, other than the moon, is the brightest thing in the night sky right now that is natural. Venus has been hanging around until 9:30-10:00PM EST. Two co-workers asked me if Venus was a UFO one night. I looked up, saw the "object", gazed over the sky, found Saturn and Mars and connected them with an imaginary line that when extended passed very close to said "object" and then pointed exactly to where the Sun set.

Thats Venus my friends.... "No way" they said.

I then pointed to the telescope in the back of my car and said "Trust me." Just wait another month or so. I will turn this scope on it and you will see what appears to be a "mini" moon going though the same phases our moon goes through.

Right now its just a really really bright ball in the scope. Not a perfectly round one. (those phases I just mentioned)

Also:

Antares in Scorpio also rises about the same time Venus sets

Vega should be pretty high in the sky as well. Spica should be visible. You said you used star charts. What constellation was this object in? Is it changing position from night to night?

Im positive that we can nail it. Im in New England at about the same Latitude your at. Tell me where and when and I will certainly do my best to get you some answers.


Star