What's the super-bright star next to the moon tonight?

[tanstaafl76]

<br />Sorry for the total newbie question, I don't know much about astronomy. I live in Southern California and as I was driving home I looked up at the beautiful full moon tonight (well at least it looked full) and to my surprise very close to it was a particularly bright star, which seemed out of place as usually the light pollution from the moon obscures any nearby stars. Was that Sirius? I've heard that's supposedly the brightest star in the sky, but I don't even know if it's visible this time of year...<br /><br />Thanks <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[billslugg]

You are seeing Mars in a rare conjunction of Mars and the Moon. If you look closely you will see that Mars is slightly to the south of the Moon. Relative to the Moon, Mars is traveling West. They are slipping past each other. For you and me they are not going to get any closer. If you were to head North, on up to the arctic circle you could then see the Moon occult Mars. It is happening as I type this. Approx 03:30 UT, 10:30 EST, 7:30 PST. The last one was I think 1892?? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[votefornimitz]

Yep, last night Mars would have been partially obscured by the moon... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <span style="color:#993366">In the event of a full scale nuclear war or NEO impact event, there are two categories of underground shelters available to the public, distinguished by depth underground: bunkers and graves...</span> </div>

 

[tanstaafl76]

<br />Crazy, thanks for the info!<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[burberrygemini]

Hey,The bright star that I saw by the moon tonight was not a star it was in fact mars. It was absolutly amazing to see, I won't ever forget this night it was absolutly beautiful.

 

[bearack]

Hopefully someone was able to get an image of it for us poor saps that missed the event. <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>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Very difficult to image due to the disparate brightness between the two objects.<br />It was an event best observed with the human eye <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <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>

 

[brellis]

heya billslugg<br /><br />thanks for the info - great for dinner table conversation and advertisement for the wonderful world of astronomy! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[doc3170]

I remember that night. An hour or so after dark, the full Moon was in the East with bright Mars just below it (behind it). I went out later that night & the Moon was in the West by then, & Mars was still below it. I’m new to Astronomy too. I’m still wrapping my brain around the Celestial clockwork. It didn’t click until the next day what had happened. LOL. Anyway, I wish I knew what was going on; I would have stayed out to watch it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[pirated]

I could of gotten a better picture of it, but the clouds rolled in...<br /><br />http://webpages.charter.net/radthad/P1010670a.JPG<br /><br />- oh, and btw, hello everybody. newbee here.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[deapfreeze]

Welcome to SDC. The picture was ok I was able to see both the moon and mars so I say you were successful. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#0000ff"><em>William ( deapfreeze ) Hooper</em></font></p><p><font size="1">http://deapfreeze-amateur-astronomy.tk/</font></p><p> </p> </div>

 

[pirated]

yeah, what you going to do when mother-nature does what she does..<br /><br />this ones is a little better..<br />http://webpages.charter.net/radthad/P1010671.JPG<br /><br />sorry, haven't figured out how to make a "short" link yet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[deapfreeze]

I agree the second photo is much clearer very nice. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#0000ff"><em>William ( deapfreeze ) Hooper</em></font></p><p><font size="1">http://deapfreeze-amateur-astronomy.tk/</font></p><p> </p> </div>

 

[bearack]

Thanks a mint. I knew someone had to of captured it. <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>

 

[pirated]

no prob.<br />that was taken around 6:15 p.m. on the 23rd, i went out around 4:30 the next morning but they weren't nearly as close. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Hi Pirated! Welcome to SDC!<br /><br />Nice images - Not only mars and the moon, but even a bit of a moon-bow there too. Thanks for sharing them! <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>

 

[3488]

I agree, very nice pictures Pirated.<br /><br />From here it was bloody overcast, every single night over Christmas, so by<br />default I missed it (should have gone down to the Canary Islands, but my wife has <br />only recently been in hospital). So it is very good to see some wonderful images appearing here.<br /><br />I quite like the moon bow too, with the very thin high altitude cirrus clouds, giving the images<br />a nice effect.<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>

 

[2844az]

I saw about the same picture you did on 12/24/07. I had been watching Mars for a while. You might note how red Mars is. It really stands out. I believe this is the year it is suppose to be brighter than it will be for several years to come. Gary

 

[3488]

Remember, Mars is about +27 deg north declination, so is about as high as is<br />possible for us northerners. The Oppositions in 2003 & 2005 were brighter, but Mars was much<br />further south, so atmospheric extinction was a real issue.<br /><br />On Saturday 19th January 2008 @ 19:24 HRS EST or Sunday 20th January 2008 @ 00:24 HRS UT,<br />the Moon & Mars make another nice pairing (moon will be a 91% waning gibbous). Mars will<br />still be very bright @ magnitude -0.96.<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>

 

[pirated]

cool. gonna have to try to catch it then.<br />i think the next time Mars is going to come this close again is in 2016.<br /><br />right now i'm trying find the adaptors it's gonna take to connect my camera to my old celestron c-90, that should help. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Another nice pairing in the morning of Saturday 16th February 2008.<br /><br />On Saturday 16th February 2008 @ 02:33 HRS EST or @ 07:33 HRS UT, <br />the Moon & Mars make another nice pairing (moon will be a 73% waning gibbous). Mars will <br />still be very bright @ magnitude -0.16. <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>

 

[pirated]

thanks 3488... <br /><br />i'm taking notes.<br /><br />sure wish i had my new scope.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

No probs PiraTed.<br /><br />I love this sort of thing, just hope the weather will co-operate.<br /><br />Add: Saturday 15th March 2008 @ 23:19 EST or Sunday 16th March 2008 @ 04:19 UT as well.<br /><br />Moon will be a 58% waning Gibbous & Mars will be magnitude +0.50, though still very<br />bright, will have faded considerably, as compared to now.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> Happy New Year 2008. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.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>

 

[pirated]

42 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>Peace. </p><p><font color="#33cccc">-------------------------------------------------------------------</font> <strong><font color="#993300">I'm a Rock!</font></strong></p><p><font color="#33cccc">Little Johnny was a scientist. Little Johnny is no more. For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.</font></p> </div>