Must be stupid - cant identify stars

[JimmyH155]

HELP I know this sounds stupid, but I cant for the life of me identify a prominent set of stars
I live in Brizzie
7pm last night walking home from work, there is this prominent set of stars to the west - actually just north of west and about 40 degrees up in the sky It consiststs of three stars in a curve and another star to the north - looking as if they are describing a segment of a circle.(or like a segment off a round cheese) The segment of the circle subtends about 25 - 30 degrees of arc. The top and bottom stars of the curve are orange, as is the star to the north (which forms the centre of the imaginary circle) The centre star in the arc is white. Its GOT to be something easy, but I looked in Harold Bobrof, Edmunds 6 mag atlas, Wil Tirion atlas and Astro mag charts - Nothing looked even close. There are no other bright stars anywhere near. AAGGGHHHHH It's annoying

[erick (Eric)]

Maybe you got Mars and Saturn in there - playing tag with Leo?

[renormalised (Carl)]

Sounds like the asterism known as"The Sickle", which is the head bit of Leo. You've also probably seen Mars (which is reddish) and Saturn (a yellowy colour). Algieba (gamma Leonis) is a red supergiant, Aldhafera (the middle star of the semi circle) is a B class star (blue-white) and the others are red supergiants as well. The brightest one at the top of the sickle's handle is Regulus (alpha Leonis)....B7V spectral class.

[goober (Doug)]

I agree with Eric - I think it was Mars, Saturn and Regulus.

Got a glimpse of the sky a couple of nights ago - first time in a few weeks. Amazing how Mars has suddenly jumped into Leo!

[Ian Robinson]

That constellation is called Jack.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

That constellation is called Jack.

Jack?, I don't know Jack??

[ving (David)]

groan erik....
lol

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

That constellation is called Jack.

Originally Posted by erick

Jack?, I don't know Jack??

Originally Posted by ving

groan erik....
lol

Al.

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by erick

Maybe you got Mars and Saturn in there - playing tag with Leo?

Originally Posted by goober

I agree with Eric - I think it was Mars, Saturn and Regulus.

Got a glimpse of the sky a couple of nights ago - first time in a few weeks. Amazing how Mars has suddenly jumped into Leo!

I vote for that, too.

What you described fits exactly what I noticed last night waiting for the ISS pass.

Al.

[JimmyH155]

Thanks guys for that - I feel a bigger idiot than ever for not thinking of that, but you bet that the scopes will be out this weekend to spot those rogue planets - in the Constellation of Jack
It does look a beautiful sight though

[ngcles]

Hi JimmmyH 155 & All,

Can't identify stars??

I think I see the problem -- you live in Brisbane. This will help you.

Wednesday next week on Channel 9, they will telecast a game of Rugby League called "State of Origin".

On the field during the game you will see a bunch of guys running around the field with blue gurnseys on. So you can identify them : these are stars.

There will also be another bunch of guys on the field. They are clearly not stars. So you can easily distinguish these "non-stars" from the real stars, they will be wearing Maroon gurnseys.

Easy as. Even a Queenslander can get a grasp on that concept I'm sure!!

But seriously, what you are seeing is this:

The three "stars" in a row are Mars, Regulus (Alpha Leonis) and of course Saturn. The other star is Algieba (Gamma Leonis). This whole group will be fascinating to watch night-by-night as the shifting planets will change the shape of the group (asterism) a great deal over the next week or so.

Go the blues!!

Best,

Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[JimmyH155]

THE BLUES??? STARS??? NO, YOUSES GOT IT WRONG, EH
GOTTA BE THE MAROONS
Will be watching those real stars next couple of weeks