what is the bright star in the sky tonight
In their outward order from the sun, the five bright planets are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These planets actually do appear bright in our sky. They are typically as bright as – or brighter than – the brightest stars.
Tonight – August 6, 2016 – as soon as darkness falls, use the moon to find the nearby blazing planet Jupiter. Then try to catch all five bright planets in the evening sky! In their order going outward from the sun, the five planets visible to the unaided eye are Mercury, Venus, (Earth), Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Which is the brightest star?
Sirius, also known as the Dog Star or Sirius A, is the brightest star in Earth’s night sky. The name means “glowing” in Greek. With a visual magnitude of -1.46, the star is outshone only by several planets as well as the International Space Station.
Why is Sirius called the Dog Star?
Today, Sirius is nicknamed the “Dog Star” because it is part of the constellation Canis Major — Latin for “the greater dog.” The expression “dog days” refers to the period from July 3 through Aug. 11 when Sirius rises in conjunction with the sun.
Tonight – or any night in December or for several months to come – look for the two Dog Stars. They’ll both be up by around mid-evening, or roughly 9 to 10 p.m. You should be able to see these brilliant stars in spite of the glare from a waning gibbous moon. http://earthsky.org/tonight/find-dog-stars-on-december-late-evenings