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09/07/2007 11:52:58 PM · #1 |
Been watching a bright "star" the last few nights that appears to be blinking a reddish, white and greenish (and NO it is not an airplane). I think that it is either Arcturus (pretty bright on Bootes) or M3 (not as bright and just a little north of Bootes).
It is just a bit north of due west (275 degrees on a compass In Colorado at 2145) and up about 30 degrees. I took some pics of it and did get some color variations, also some bad video (off my Nikon 5700) that you can tell it is changing, but it is not clear.
Used Stellarium to check, but have a bit too much light noise to be able to see constelations clearly.
Anyone else able to see it?
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09/07/2007 11:58:52 PM · #2 |
Arcturus is setting in the WNW around now (shortly before 11 central). Follow the handle stars of the dipper to the left and "arc" to Arcturus. Any bright star is going to twinkle like mad when it's really low in the sky and you've got lots of atmosphere stirring the light. The colors are normal in this process, especially with brighter stars, and Arcturus is 1st magnitude.
M3 is MUCH too faint to see naked eye, even under excellent dark sky conditions. Maybe with binos, but more likely with a scope. And you won't see any twinkling in an extended object like that, only from stars, which are true point sources. |
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09/08/2007 12:57:55 AM · #3 |
Figured it was Arcturus being a 1st magnitude, and after looking that M3 is like 6.4...process of elimination.
It was pretty high up when I first notice it on Thurs PM and still (more like blinking) twinkling.
Fun to watch
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