Question

I'm from North Africa, and I noticed almost a month ago the emergence of a star in the sky and larger than the rest of the stars. Is it possible for NASA to give information about this strange star? AND I live in southern Maine. Every night I see what appears to be a star that rises in the east and sets in the west. I am curious because it is easily twice the intensity of every other star in the sky. I have many friends that have also noticed it. What is it? AND If nibiru doesnt exist and nothing is going to hit us, what is the thing I can see in the sky that looks like a large orange dot. i want to know what it is I’m seeing. Its like a orange dot that moves quickly; it’s there every night outside my window.

You are all seeing Jupiter, which is the brightest planet in the evening sky this summer and autumn. (For early risers, Venus, which is in the eastern sky before sunrise, is even brighter). I receive many questions like these. Both Jupiter and Venus are this bright every year. Jupiter, in particular, has been a beautiful presence in the evening sky for the past several summers, but apparently those who write to me have not noticed it before. I am glad more people are looking at the night sky. But you don’t need to write to NASA to find out the locations of the planets; just google “planet positions” and go to Sky & Telescope or one of the other websites that help you identify the planets in the night sky. Jupiter will be be back next year at approximately the same time. A couple of other comments. Many people describe Jupiter or Venus as “big” or “bigger than anything else”. I guess they mean “bright" or “brighter”. All the stars and planets are unresolved point sources, differing in brightness but not in apparent size. Some also say it is orange or changes color. These are atmospheric effects that are common for bright objects seen low in the sky. Some also write that it is “moving quickly” yet is visible at the same place every night. Jupiter moves very slowly with respect to the stars, not enough to notice unless you watch carefully for several weeks, but of course it shares the daily apparent motion caused by the rotation of the Earth.

David Morrison
NAI Senior Scientist
October 20, 2009