There is a star in the south west sky that is blinking red white and green
you can not miss it !
what is it, as i can not find out !

Steve

the red and green is normally something to do with the atmosphere, refration of the white light or something? twinkling, in other words

or an aeroplane its cloudy here anyhow

[Edited on 21/3/11 by blakep82]

It is not an aeroplane, or heli

maybe of help.

http://www.theplanetearthcentre.btinternet.co.uk/free_sky_map.htm

jupiter

http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/tonights_sky/

The only star I can think of that's red is Betelgeuse, which is on (as you look at it), Orion's left shoulder.

Most stars are blinking this evening due I suspect to atmospheric conds.

Did you know, our sun is 750,000 miles in diameter, but Betelgeuse is 500,0000,000

Of course, as you're near Gatwick, I suspect it's plane lights you can see

ATB

Simon

David beckham?

its not a plane, nor beckham,

That's no planet! - that's the DEATH STAR!

Here is another site that you can check the night sky http://www.heavens-above.com/skychart.aspx?SL=1&SN=1&lat=53.05125&lng=-3.02023&loc=home&alt=0&tz=CET

Or download this :-

http://www.stellarium.org/

yeah I can see the one you mean from here, just an ordinary star but it is changing colour a lot more than normal. Like Blake said its just turbulance in the atmosphere causing it. It's not a planet, they don't shimmer very much as they are not point sources like the stars so are not effected the same way.

if your north of liverpool it will be luis suarez!

didn't have you down as a stargazer steve....!

Libyan scud missile.

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve m
There is a star in the south west sky that is blinking red white and green
you can not miss it !
what is it, as i can not find out !

Steve

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by scudderfish
Or download this :-

http://www.stellarium.org/

---

If the upper atmosphere is disturbed presumably it will act like a prism hence the colours

(actually I've no idea but it sounds plausible)

if you have a smartphone use google skymap, one of the most impressive app I have used EVER. You point it at the sky and it senses the orientation of the phone and shows you what you're looking at on the screen.

quote:

---

Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
if you have a smartphone use google skymap, one of the most impressive app I have used EVER. You point it at the sky and it senses the orientation of the phone and shows you what you're looking at on the screen.

---

It's the Italians doing a laser display to celebrate 150 years of unification.

I had a look at that last night Steve, it was really twinkling, and I couldn't find out what it was on my chart either .....

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jasper
I had a look at that last night Steve, it was really twinkling, and I couldn't find out what it was on my chart either .....

---

Right.....I have had another look, and with Planisphere in hand ......I have decided that it is either Pollux or Procyon .....

edit to add ...... we have both decided it is Procyon...

[Edited on 22-3-11 by Fozzie]

quote:

---

Originally posted by daniel mason
if your north of liverpool it will be luis suarez!

---

Cheers Foz

Watched Brian Cox on 'Matter' last night - another superbly made and informative programme....

Well, the "star" is still in the same place 3 months after my initial post, so it can not be a star or planet

I tried to view it last night, and all im getting is the red green white light (reflection ?)

Could it be a saterlite ? assuming some saterlites stay in the same place ?

steve

Don't suppose you have an iPhone or Android phone Steve? There's an amazing new app for iPhones just launched, and on 59p, called SkyView, it overlays all the stars, planets, satellites on the picture from the camera (day or night) as you move it around the sky, then gives you lots of info on them. It really works well and makes spotting stuff up there a doddle.

I'll take a look with it later and see it I can see the one you mean.

Steve I have been watching 'that' star since this thread began......

I can confirm that it is still in the same place which has baffled me too!

I thought it was either Procyon or Pollux using the 3 stars in a straight line as a guide, which according to my planisphere, is Leo Minor.
The planisphere (Northern hemisphere) lets you dial in the date and time and puts a marker as to where you are gazing from, so I am pretty certain all is correct there.

Leo Minor has of course moved, but as you say 'Procyon' (as I am calling it for now ) is still in the same place.......

Jasp .... my mobile phone is still of the 'steam' variety (ancient)........so sadly I cannot get the app. It will be interesting to see what it reckons my 'Procyon' really is ...... 'tis truly weird.....

Fozzie

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alan B

quote:

---

Originally posted by scudderfish
Or download this :-

http://www.stellarium.org/

---

Awesome link....

Really cool

Cheers,

Alan

---

I also,being of similar age to Fozzie, !! do not , nor want and i phone

I struggle t use the steam powered nokia i own at the moment



The offending "star" has not moved at all in 3 months
so what is it

steve

Navigation beacon on a distant TV transmitter aerial?

Procyon is below the horizon, as is Pollux according to my app at the moment, I'll check again this evening.

Here's the kind of view the app gives you, you see the planets, stars, Hubble, ISS etc overlaid whatever your camera is looking at, amazing!!


StarView

So I've just got it pointed at my cupboard, but as you can see it overlays whatever is in that direction, and if you click on the circle in the middle when you're on anything it tells you about it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by David Jenkins
Navigation beacon on a distant TV transmitter aerial?

---

Earth bound !!

Its at 40% from terra firma, and at that height would be a major problem with aircraft

And i live 5 miles frm Gatwick, and i can bet my house family and evrything else there is nothing in that direction even remotley close to a tower !!

Steve

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve m
Earth bound !!

Its at 40% from terra firma, and at that height would be a major problem with aircraft

And i live 5 miles frm Gatwick, and i can bet my house family and evrything else there is nothing in that direction even remotley close to a tower !!

Steve

---

It must be earth bound in the channel then, as South west From Jasper is errr, WET and deep

well if it has not moved in 3 months then it must be on the earth or you all taking about different things. It if it tracks with the movement of the stars over a few hours then it’s either a planet or a very bright star. If it isn’t moving all night then it has to be a light on a ship/mast/building etc...

There's only one answer...

Dave,

Thats it !

Or as said earlier, it could be the Death star !!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by David Jenkins
There's only one answer...

---

Ive checked, and the nearest tower between myself and the English channel (29 miles due south)
Is the Portsmouth tower (and incredibly, about the right direction) is 49 miles as the crow flys

yet at 45% ish above ground level must make that tower 2,000 miles high

Plus it has a VERY bright light !!

Jasper

" and if you click on the circle in the middle when you're on anything it tells you about it. "

does it tell you what the cupboard is made of ?

Steve

This is the whole sky chart (Heavens Above site) for London 8.30 (now)

Is this any help?

Centre of chart is overhead.





Cheers
Paul G

Thanks for the chart, but this "thing" has not moved in the sky for 3 months, so can NOT be a star or planet
as they all move around, as the world rotates,

And ive played with my planishere to get a result, and there isnt one

This thing is in the sky from dusk to dawn, in the same place (as far as i can determine) regardless
i work nights at Virgin, so have checked at all times

But is bright enough to be seen with out bins or telescope, and seems to alternate from red green and white

What the **** is it !!

The only thing I can think of that appears to be stationary are communications satellites.
They orbit once a day, hence to us appear not to move. (Geostationary)

These orbit above the equator, so to us appear in the southern sky, but they are 22,000 miles up.
Can't think that one would be visible to the naked eye.


The plot thickens.
Paul G