Somethings missing???

At least the past 10 years or more theres been a very bright star or satellite beside the moon. I'v seen it every night. If follows the moon, or so it seemed to me. Anyways, last night I noticed it was not there. Does anyone know why? Has anyone else notice it not being there?

Yeah, I used to watch that every night whilst going out for a fag, I havent noticed that its gone, will watch out for it tonight, are you in the UK?

No, I'm in the US. I'm going to look again tonight also.

Can you give some more details? At what time do you usually see it at? If you do see it, you should check a star chart online. Some of the brightest things in the night sky are Jupiter, Sirius, Saturn, Orion, Rigel and Betelgeuse to name a few.

I'v seen it when the moon comes out. Follows the moons path everynight for years now. Now its gone. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this. Its even been in the cresent part of the moon. Just showing off and looking bright and pretty now its not there.

[edit on 3-10-2006 by Shar]

Have you had your eyes checked recently? Not trying to be mean, but maybe all those years you were just seeing something that was just light bending funny in your eye. Did you see similar companion lights with other bright light sources? If so, are they gone too now?

Well I just checked and its not there. Wondering if this was a satellite and possibly got shot down.

No everyone around here knows it was there. My whole family has talked about it even. As well as neighbors.

Guess your someone who never looked at the sky at night. It was clear as can be. Just a bright star or satellite that was extremely close to the moon all the time and now its just gone.

I have never seen this object by the moon before. Not that I doubt you I was probably just missing it.

Where in the US do you live? I live in Wisconsin now, and I lived in both Nebraska and South Carolina before, and I dont ever remember seething this.

I travel alot so I have been in well over 25 states and I've always seen it. My goodness dosn't people look at their stars anymore and know whats up there. It wasn't hard to see.

Sounds quite unusual.

With the earth moving around the sun so that the night star background slowly changes and the moon rising later each night, it seems like the same star would not always be next to the moon. At least not for more than a few days.

I look at the stars every night. I might be incorrect, I suppose.

Thats why now I'm thinking it was a satellite. Because now its gone totally.

I live in Corpus Christi and there are no stars at night. Cities cast off so much light that it is nearly impossible to see anything other than the moon. That is why I long to go back to Northern Nevada. Some nights I could look up and see so many stars that it looked like overspray from a paint job. sigh

Funny you brought this up, I live in Christchurch, New Zealand and 3 nites ago my wife and I were outside smoking a cigarette and I pointed it out to her...it's still there, yes I know which one you are refering to becuase in looking at it, I have often thought this is where Islam gets the crescent and star from.

Is it there right now? Can you see it tonight?

it's 4:30pm Wednesday afternoon right now, but I will look tonite, should be good as it is clear skies. I will let you know later this eve or tomorrow.

Thats good thanks. Tonight makes it at least two nights of it being gone for me.

Found this in Wkikipedia - The star possibly symbolises Venus. Venus indeed may often appear prominently close to the Moon at the first sighting of the new crescent (the hilal) after New Moon, usually shortly after sunset, which marks the start of the first day of a new month in the lunar Islamic calendar.

Looks like deadbang got it, but if I may offer another explanation?

I'm pretty sure there's a mirror on the moon for some scientific purposes, this is going way back, so I might be wrong.

Originally posted by Shar
Guess your someone who never looked at the sky at night. It was clear as can be. Just a bright star or satellite that was extremely close to the moon all the time and now its just gone.

So it's been there for years, you thought it was odd, and you never thought to take a picture or anything? Why is it that whenever anyone sees something out of place they just never happen to have a camera? Did you ever try contacting an astronomical institution or anything?

Originally posted by deadbang
Found this in Wkikipedia - The star possibly symbolises Venus. Venus indeed may often appear prominently close to the Moon at the first sighting of the new crescent (the hilal) after New Moon, usually shortly after sunset, which marks the start of the first day of a new month in the lunar Islamic calendar.

Next time, before jumping to conclusions, try and look up the current Right Ascensions and Declinations the two objects.

Venus RA: 12 hr 19 min
Venus Dec: 0 deg 34 min

Moon RA: 22 hr 10 min
Moon Dec: 14 deg 22 min

I hope that's a good starting point.

EDIT TO ADD:

Originally posted by Zanzibar
I'm pretty sure there's a mirror on the moon for some scientific purposes, this is going way back, so I might be wrong.

You're right. There is... But it's so small you can't actually see it. Much less with the naked eye.

[edit on 10/4/2006 by cmdrkeenkid]

Other people have seen this too. Look at those who posted and know what I'm talking about. It was there every night also not just a few times a month.

No I dont take pictures of the moon. My camera is for birthdays and Christmas. Times with my kids. Not a moon that I never thought it could get anyways. I thought that takes a special kind of camera or lens I don't think mine would get it.

You sound anger about this. Thats not my problem. I'm asking a simple question out here for those who has seen it. I'm asking them if they noticed its gone.

[edit on 4-10-2006 by Shar]