The moon is full tonight but waning.. and view Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation!!

[Breeze54]

Tonight's Sky

http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/52046/moon-regulus-saturn-on-january-23

Moon, Regulus, Saturn on January 23

Wednesday, January 23, 2008.

Tonight, around 9 or 10 o’clock, look eastward to see two bright points of light beneath the waning gibbous moon.

These bright objects are silvery-blue Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion

– and the golden planet Saturn, the farthest world that you easily see with the unaided eye.



read more... http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/52046/moon-regulus-saturn-on-january-23

Tonight, at mid-evening, look eastward to see two bright points of light beneath the waning gibbous moon.

These bright objects are silvery-blue Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion – and the golden planet Saturn, the farthest world that you easily see with the unaided eye. As the night passes, this heavenly lineup climbs upward, with Regulus and Saturn trailing behind the moon.

How can you tell Regulus from Saturn? Saturn is brighter, and, if you contrast it to nearby stars, you’ll notice Saturn shines with a steadier light. The moon, Regulus and Saturn soar highest in the sky after midnight in January, and shine in the west at morning dawn.

Regulus is the 21st brightest star, but it attracts more attention than many bright stars. That’s because Regulus routinely pairs up with the moon and planets on the dome of night. Regulus happens to be located on the pathway of the sun, moon and planets – called the ecliptic. So Regulus serves as a fixed reference for watching the motions of the moon and Saturn.

In contrast to the moon, Saturn moves at a snail’s pace across the dome of night. Even so, Saturn will noticeably edge closer and closer to Regulus in these early months of 2008, to be closest to this star in early May. For today, that’s our show. We’re Block and Byrd for Earth & Sky, a clear voice for science.

No matter where you live, you’ll see the moon closer to Regulus before dawn tomorrow than during the evening hours tonight. And, if you live in Indonesia, Australia or New Zealand, you can watch the moon occult – pass over – Regulus on Thursday night.

[Breeze54]

1. Who's going outside to look? It's almost 9 PM

It's almost 9 PM on the east coast.

Ok... I guess I'll have to go and see for myself!! :P

I wish I could take a picture.

I don't even know if it's cloudy out but I'm guessing

it isn't because it's colder than hell here!!

[Breeze54]

2. OMG! I see it and it is beautiful!!!

:D

Bright Star Regulus near the Leo 1 Dwarf Galaxy


http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060619.html

Explanation: The star on the upper left is so bright it is sometimes hard to notice the galaxy on the
lower right. Both the star, Regulus, and the galaxy, Leo I, can be found within one degree of each other
toward the constellation of Leo. Regulus is part of a multiple star system, with a close companion
double star visible to the upper right of the young main sequence star. Leo I is a dwarf spheroidal
galaxy in the Local Group of galaxies dominated by our Milky Way Galaxy and M31. Leo I is thought to be
the most distant of the several known small satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky Way Galaxy. Regulus is
located about 75 light years away, in contrast to Leo 1 which is located about 800,000 light years away.

[Inchworm]

3. Booo! Clouds...

The moon gets through and that's about all.

:cry:

[Breeze54]

4. But in the OP it says you can see it best

towards morning! Maybe the clouds will have moved on by then. :hug:

:P

[Inchworm]

5. I just saw..

werds werds werds.. look at the waning moon.. werds werds bright star in Leo :D

Thanks for the brief!

:rofl: