I live in New Jersey, around the Trenton area. I was driving home when I noticed an odd star flickering in what I think is the southeastern sky (sorry I'm still not 100% sure). It most likely was, but anyway, it was flickering a lot, and seemed to change colors almost. It would go from a bright bluish color like most stars to a brownish and then red color. At first I thought it was a plane, with those lights they have that always flicker. But it didn't move and after about 5 minutes I was almost positive it had to be a star. So basically, the most information I can give you is that it was in the southeastern sky, and if you look at Orion's Belt, it sort of points to it. If you follow it east it is the brightest star in the belt's path if it continued. Anyway, about a quarter of the way in the sky when I saw it, around 8:15. Any information on what star or what it is would be helpful. Thanks.

Was it below (closer to the horizon) than Orion. Then it was almost certainly Sirius, which is a very bright star (I saw it tonight too, even with the full moon). When it is close to the horizon, there is that much more atmosphere that the light has to go through, so you can see a lot more twinkling, including the color changes.

And welcome to BAUT.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Yes it is Sirius one of the brightest stars in the sky. And it is neat to watch it twinkle.

Gotta be Sirius. Not one of the brightest stars, it is the brightest.

It was almost certainly Sirius, the Dog Star, that you saw. The colors were due to the phenomenon known as atmospheric prismatic disperion.

Dave Mitsky

__________________
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

I'm in Joisey too --- what road were you on when you saw this? What direction did you see it? (that is, if straight ahead is "12 oclock", did you see it at "3 oclock", "11 oclock", etc... (I might be able to help you figure out if it was SE sky or not)

I was on 532. And yes, star maps I looked at afterwards provide very strong evidence that it was Sirius. Thanks again.

Sirius is so bright, I've seen it through clouds. Thin clouds, mind you, but clouds none-the-less. I love the winter sky. I don't get to see the stars from the city, at least not the way I'm used to. It's almost like visiting old friends when I see them now.

__________________
"The plan does not involve mayonaise."
"... I knew there was a catch."

You can't take the sky from me.

Is Sirius in the Orion?

No, it is not in the constellation Orion, but it is near it in the sky. The "belt" of Orion sort of points in the general direction of Sirius.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

i'm a year and nine months late, i know. but after reading this forum, i wanna thank you guys, for the "answer" to the question in my mind - what star could that be? the one near (below/4 to 5 o'clock) orion.

i'm from manila, philippines and i also noticed this flickering star with different colors for the past days. i usually notice it after midnight. orion's three stars are aligned with that flickering star. so i guess, that would be SIRIUS. great!

thanks for the information!

ditto on that

cudos to ya mr mitsky!!!!!

__________________
WE did go to the moon so get over it

Welcome to BAUT, fannie!

Maybe you might want to check out Staiduk's The most marvellous thing? thread.

It´s in the Canis Major [the Bigger Dog] constellation, hence its colloquial name of "Dog Star". It´s near to Orion [the Hunter] because it plays the role of one of the dogs of the Hunter, as in the mythology.

__________________
What brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart

Are there any Cat Stars? Cat constellations (well, OK, other than Leo)?

__________________
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

In the egyptian constelations, there was Bast, the cat goddess. However i've only read about this, i have not see a plot of the egyptian forms of constelations to know where it might be.

__________________
There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives - US Army Demolitions School

I just saw Hayley's comet, she waved, Said "why you always running in place? Even the man in the moon disappeared, Somewhere in the stratosphere" - Shinedown

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Well, I think Lynx is the closest the ancient peoples got to paying tribute to the Cat.

By the way, to the egyptians what we call orion was Osiris [holding Aldebaran in his hands]. Sirius was Isis [I´m unable to indicate a source right now].

__________________
What brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart

Cats already know they are divine, they don't need no steenking constellations to remind themselves of it. Ask any cat.

__________________
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" -- Charles Darwin
"Your right to hold an opinion is not being contested. Your expectation that it be taken seriously is." -- Jason Thompson
Meet the OOONG TOE.

They didn't; Lynx was created by Hevelius in the 17th century.

He also created Leo Minor, the lesser lion. Perhaps he was a cat person.

__________________
Science is like sex. Sometimes something useful comes out, but that is not the reason we are doing it.
-- Richard Feynman

Ah, That´s true. Thanks.

__________________
What brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart

Second brightest. Though admittedly, it's the brightest in the night sky.l

__________________
As above, so below

Tough competition when it's only 1 au away.

Oh get Sirius.

Which one, A or B? I prefer B because blue is my favorite color. I think B is "hot" (heh heh 25k).

__________________
(By the way, I hate it that so many papers in the areas of planetary science and geology are not easily available to the dreaded "non-subscribers". It is like they are screaming at me: "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH". Good, I feel better now.)

"Quaerendo inventis"

Sun of a gun.

__________________
As above, so below

It is not the star sirius, i've seen this star it's been in the night sky in southern michigan for 1-3 months, i saw it before then in florida 6 months ago... If you watch it closely and for a while at times it blinks like a plane but not the entire star, in fact i don't believe it is a star at all im not sure what it is but it is nowhere near sirius, polaris, or betelgeuse and is about 2-4 times the size of any other star in our sky. Im unsure what it is but if anyone has any info. Please contact me.--nycrid.

I don't know if your talking about the same thing but what i've seen is in the southeastern sky but does not flicker it appears that there is a secondary light, to the top right of the star that blinks and its not the same as dust entering our atmosphere and passing in front of it, there is something about it that leads me to believe it is man made it seems to shine like it is close. Much closer than any star.

nycr, welcome to BAUT, but if you want to ask a question, you should start a new thread about it. You don't know if you're talking about the same object that the OP saw. Why don't you start a new thread and describe as accurately as you can what you saw?

__________________
As above, so below

You may be right nycr that what you saw is not Sirius. That first post was in January 2007. The stars you will see in the sky in August will not be the same (or in the same position at least) in January. As Jens said, we need some more details, such as what time of day (night) and how high in the sky.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

You must give us more information... If I go outside and look south east, I am seeing Achinnar. From where I live these southern sky stars never set. 39deg South. I do not know where you are and at what time you saw what,?
and Welcome.