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Earthsky Tonight - Aug 27 2009
Antares is the Fire Star
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You’ve got about another month to see a uniquely summer star, Antares in the constellation Scorpius, in the evening. It is the brightest star near the moon tonight, in the southern sky as night begins. By late September, Antares will be tough to spot in the southwestern twilight after sunset.
In ancient Chinese thought, the summer season was associated with the direction south, with the element fire, and with the color red. No wonder, then, that this reddish star in the south – beautiful Antares – was considered the Fire Star of the ancient Chinese.
To us in the northern hemisphere, Antares appears as a bright reddish star that rides relatively low in the south all summer. We know it as a great ball of gases, a thermonuclear cauldron radiating unimaginable amounts of energy into the blackness and vastness of space.
Yet to us – as to the ancient Chinese – Antares appears so near the southern horizon that we must view it through a great thickness of air. The air through which we view Antares causes this star to twinkle rapidly! On any summer evening, if you see a bright red star low in the south that’s twinkling fiercely . . . it’s probably Antares.
Will Mars appear as large as the full moon tonight, on Thursday, August 27?
Written by Deborah Byrd
Comments (12)
at 11.06 am on 08-24-2009 Shirley
On Thursday,August 27, 2009 Mars is going to be closer to earch than has ever been in our lifetime. My daughter needs to do a project on this and we have a great place to view from at my parents house on the beach in Foretescue, New Jersey but I do not have any other information about it. What to look for, etc. It counts for a large part of her grade and she is so excited I just want to be of more help. Shirley Stasen
Replyat 08.59 am on 08-25-2009 Bruce McClure
Shirley,
Please click on the link at the bottom of this article: Will Mars be as large as the full moon tonight, on Thursday, August 27? You'll find out what you want to know!
Bruce
at 9.58 pm on 08-24-2009 Tracy
I heard about this too but learned that it was a NASA Hoax. Anyone know more info on this? I have been telling everyone that the bright star is Mars but...am now feeling discouraged after reading about the Hoax.
Replyat 11.51 am on 08-25-2009 earthsky
Hi Tracy! It's not a NASA hoax. In fact, NASA has been trying to clear up the misconception. It's just a plain ole Internet hoax that has been traveling around for years. The bright 'star' you've been seeing is Jupiter. We'll add something to this article about Jupiter ... thanks for the reminder!
at 12.53 am on 08-27-2009
Replyat 12.52 pm on 08-27-2009 daiman
hello.
will mars pass by the front of the moon tonight ???.
daiman
Replyat 2.57 pm on 08-27-2009 Deborah Byrd
Hi Daiman, no, the story about Mars and the moon on August 27 is a hoax. Please see this article. http://www.earthsky.org/tonightpost/astronomy-essentials/will-mars-appear-as-large-as-a-full-moon-in-august-2009
at 1.57 pm on 08-27-2009 Larry Sessions
Daiman,
as Debbie said, Mars is nowhere near the Moon tonight, but the Moon does pass very near the bright star Antares, and from some locations will be occulted (eclipsed) by the Moon. Unfortunately this is before sunset in many locations, but find the Moon tonight and that very bright star nearest it is Antares in Scorpius.
Replyat 3.00 pm on 08-27-2009 alsmind
anyone see 2 star like objects going east direction at 10.26 and 10.35 or was it just me
Replyat 6.38 pm on 08-27-2009
Replyat 7.15 pm on 08-27-2009
ReplyAdd your own comment
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at 11.06 am on 08-24-2009 Shirley
On Thursday,August 27, 2009 Mars is going to be closer to earch than has ever been in our lifetime. My daughter needs to do a project on this and we have a great place to view from at my parents house on the beach in Foretescue, New Jersey but I do not have any other information about it. What to look for, etc. It counts for a large part of her grade and she is so excited I just want to be of more help. Shirley Stasen
Replyat 08.59 am on 08-25-2009 Bruce McClure
Shirley,
Please click on the link at the bottom of this article: Will Mars be as large as the full moon tonight, on Thursday, August 27? You'll find out what you want to know!
Bruce
at 9.58 pm on 08-24-2009 Tracy
I heard about this too but learned that it was a NASA Hoax. Anyone know more info on this? I have been telling everyone that the bright star is Mars but...am now feeling discouraged after reading about the Hoax.
Replyat 11.51 am on 08-25-2009 earthsky
Hi Tracy! It's not a NASA hoax. In fact, NASA has been trying to clear up the misconception. It's just a plain ole Internet hoax that has been traveling around for years. The bright 'star' you've been seeing is Jupiter. We'll add something to this article about Jupiter ... thanks for the reminder!
at 12.53 am on 08-27-2009
Replyat 12.52 pm on 08-27-2009 daiman
hello.
will mars pass by the front of the moon tonight ???.
daiman
at 2.57 pm on 08-27-2009 Deborah Byrd
Hi Daiman, no, the story about Mars and the moon on August 27 is a hoax. Please see this article. http://www.earthsky.org/tonightpost/astronomy-essentials/will-mars-appear-as-large-as-a-full-moon-in-august-2009
at 1.57 pm on 08-27-2009 Larry Sessions
Daiman,
as Debbie said, Mars is nowhere near the Moon tonight, but the Moon does pass very near the bright star Antares, and from some locations will be occulted (eclipsed) by the Moon. Unfortunately this is before sunset in many locations, but find the Moon tonight and that very bright star nearest it is Antares in Scorpius.
at 3.00 pm on 08-27-2009 alsmind
anyone see 2 star like objects going east direction at 10.26 and 10.35 or was it just me
Replyat 6.38 pm on 08-27-2009
Replyat 7.15 pm on 08-27-2009
Reply