Seeing Venus with the Naked Eye - Light Pollution

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SUMMARY

The bright point of light observed in a light-polluted area was confirmed to be Venus, positioned approximately 10 to 20 degrees west and south of the full moon in January. The discussion highlights the use of online resources, specifically a visible planets guide from Space.com, to identify celestial objects. Additionally, the software Stellarium was recommended for its capabilities in adjusting for location and light pollution, making it a valuable tool for amateur astronomers. Brian Cox's confirmation on Twitter further validated the identification of Venus.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic astronomy concepts, particularly planetary visibility.
  • Familiarity with light pollution effects on stargazing.
  • Knowledge of using astronomy software tools like Stellarium.
  • Ability to interpret celestial coordinates and positions.
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the features of Stellarium for enhanced astronomical observations.
  • Research the effects of light pollution on celestial visibility.
  • Learn about the phases and positions of Venus throughout the year.
  • Investigate other online resources for identifying planets and stars.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomy enthusiasts, amateur stargazers, and individuals living in light-polluted areas seeking to identify celestial objects with the naked eye.

Hawksteinman
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I live in a light polluted area, and the last few weeks I have been walking down my street to see one very bright point of light. Other than the moon, it was the only astronomical object I could see with the naked eye, as well as occasionally a few fainter points. I was wondering what this was, so I looked on a website to see where the objects are in the sky from where I live, and Venus was at that exact point.

Was I looking at Venus? I thought it couldn't be since it seemed to stay in exactly the same position in the sky for at least 5 or 6 weeks.
 
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Another cool software you can check to confirm it: Stellarium , its free, open source, and works in windows, mac and linux.

You can set your location, time, adjust light pollution... really useful =)
 
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