# What's that bright star, right now?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931 "2017-01-12T02:32:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931/21 "2017-01-13T20:12:12Z")

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> [@barbitu8](#):
>
> Stars twinkle not because they radiate energy (planets reflect light) but the amount of space the light from them travels causes disturbances.

[Not quite](http://earthsky.org/space/why-dont-planets-twinkle-as-stars-do).

Twinkle, twinkle little planet  
I wonder if you’re made of granite.

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931/22 "2017-01-13T20:29:22Z")

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> [@Xema](#):
>
> Heck, I’ve seen the _full moon_ twinkle from Yosemite Valley.
> 
> (Full disclosure: non-trivial quantities of tequila may have been involved.)

Given sufficient alcohol, the clearly-lit faces of the people around you may twinkle. 😃

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931/23 "2017-01-13T21:17:58Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> And **Kimstu** , 99% is perhaps a bit overconfident. At least 5-10% of the time, the answer is actually Jupiter.

In about five years, the answer may be [KIC 9832227](http://www.space.com/35290-star-explosion-expected-earth-sky-2022.html).

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-bright-star-right-now/776931/24 "2017-01-14T00:55:19Z")

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I followed Venus all the way to Vegas one time and it was evening …

PS I didn’t win

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