Are those two very, very bright things Venus and Jupiter, then? :O

I came in here to ask what those two very bright "stars" in the sky are, because I've been noticing them consistently. That's so cool of they are two planets!! If not, I'll give a description--they're both very, very bright, in the same spot every day and they appear before the sky gets dark.

Yes they are planets. The amazing thing to think about when seeing them is the fact that Venus is actually closer to the Sun than Jupiter. It makes for a bit of a optical illusion, and I am sure that stargazer could do a better job than I of explaining than I.
If I recall, Mars, and Saturn also are making an appearance, but later in the evening.

Any tips on how I can find these planets in the sky? Every time I find a bright star that I think might be a planet, it always turns out to be Sirius.

~Riella

Ithilwen.

The best advice I can give you would be to go to ahobby shop that carries astronomy gear, telescopes, and such. They should have a star chart. Otherwise a bookstore might have one, or a booklet with one in it.
Then look up, and see what's where it should not be.
Depending how interested you are look for a current Farmer's Almanac. They typically have something giving dates, and time when planets show themselves. They also have dates for some of the more active meteor showers.
Other than that, I can only suggest you search second-hand stores for a telescope. It is quite a sight.

I'm on the other side of the world than most of the people posting here, but I noticed several people were talking about two very, very bright "stars" in line or semi-in line with each other being planets...the thing is, I also noticed them there in the sky the other night, and I was sure they were satellites. I'm wondering if it's possible that I may have actually seen the planets Venus and Jupiter, even if I'm on the other side of the world? That would be so cool!

Narnian_Archer
I would venture to say you were probably seeing the very planets you mentioned. where are you located? If anywhere near Australia I think that be about right. Do you have access to any starcharts for your hemisphere?
One easy way to know a satellite is if they are moving. Very few are what we would call stationary, and non that are visible with thew naked eye.

It certainly sounds like Venus and Jupiter to me as well.

(Edit: this bright, high appearance of Venus (best in the Northern Hemisphere) can surprise even veteran stargazers, as a writer blogs on skyandtelescope.com).

Ithilwen, I suggest a star chart as well - nowadays online versions are available at sites like heavens-above.com or skyandtelescope.com. These have the added advantage of including planets.

I've been visiting my brother and his family, who live far from city lights. It's nice to see Orion in a dark sky again, and the Milky Way in the same area. We've also seen a couple passes of the ISS and an Iridium flare. And late the other night, the Northern Lights made a guest appearance - not terribly spectacular, but still nice to see. They were white only, low in the north, but with stars visible through them and clouds silhouetted in front of them. Can't wait for more!

(Check out this video, posted by another Minnesota starwatcher, showing the Northern Lights the same night I viewed them. (Watch for the meteor in the first few seconds). My view was not nearly so good, alas, but it's fun to look forward to bigger and better displays as we approach solar maximum).

I found an article on skyandtelescope.com that I wanted to bring to the attention of NarniaWeb's stargazers:

When Venus is bright and well-placed like this, it is visible in the daytime. If you know exactly where to look, it's almost easy to find. The problem usually is that it's a tiny white dot in a big blue sky - and once you've seen it, the sky seems full of dancing white spots while you're searching.

But on days like today, the nearby Moon points the way to Venus, making it easier to find, even in broad daylight. So if your sky is clear, check out the article and give it a try! (And don't forget to enjoy the view after sunset).

Venus During the Day

stargazer

Thanks for the tip. I will have to look tomorrow.

Before I forget. Have you heard anything about a comet being visible? I had a father at camp this weekend who mentioned it.

Puddleglum, wow, that's so cool! Yes, I'm pretty sure I saw the planets, although I'm not really near Austrailia...I'm in Russia

stargazer, I love seeing Orion in the night sky! Here where I live I can see it best in winter, but I love to keep track of it as it moves along the sky all throughout the seasons.

Narnian_Archer

My most humble apologies for a my geographical error. (Doffs hat humbly).
I should have realised the difficulty in seeing the same night sky in the southern hemisphere, and concluded wrongly. It is any wonder I graduated school at al
Might I inquire where you are located? Looking up places on mapes helps this doddering brain of mine

The other night I had the pleasure of a 'satellite triple feature' - in the space of about 30 minutes I had a -4 Iridium flare, a high pass of the Chinese Tiangong 1, and a -2.7 pass of the ISS. And the Moon was near Venus as well. All in all, lots of fun!

Have you heard anything about a comet being visible?

I suspect the camper's father might have been thinking of Comet Garradd - a magnitude 7 (binoculars or telescope) fuzzball high in the northern skies.

While it's not really a naked-eye object, it's circumpolar (never sets) for those of us in mid-northern or higher latitudes. The linked article includes a finder chart. Check it out now, while the Moon is still a sliver! (I've not seen it yet).

Also, try spotting Mercury low in the twilight after sunset, way below Venus (finder chart). It's the planet's best evening appearance of 2012.

I will have to try looking for Mercury tonight, if possible. we are hearing about nasty weather moving though.
Tried looking for Venus during the daylight hours yesterday. Must have been looking in the wrong place though.

Sorry for being unclear about that opportunity to see Venus in daylight, Puddleglum. While that planet can be seen during the daylight from now until late May (or so), using the Moon to point the way only works on certain days about once a month. So while that chance (Februay 25) has passed, keep an eye to the skies for additional opportunities later this spring.

Ditto on that nasty weather. Anything from 1 inch plus of heavy rain, sleet, or 12+ inches of snow, depending on where you are.

Quite alright stargazer. I placed the website on starcharts on my favorits list to keep up on sights to watch for. Hopefully my Troop will have a desire to go for their Astronomy merit badge some time.

Just got in with the young wiggle a little bit ago. Three inches,and still coming down, Looks like an early rise to shovel, so I better shove off to bed soon.