Bright Star in Lunar Eclipse Photo (APOD 8 Mar 2007)

[videograham]

Whilst observing the eclipse last week, I noticed a bright star very close to the moon especially during the first half of the event. Having seen the APOD today, I notice a bright star in a similar location (with respect to the moon) in the picture.

Does anyone know which star this is?

My first thought was that it was in Leo. Saturn was close by that night and I know that was just to the left of the main body of the constelllation.

Regards

Alan Batty

[Andy Wade]

Whilst observing the eclipse last week, I noticed a bright star very close to the moon especially during the first half of the event. Having seen the APOD today, I notice a bright star in a similar location (with respect to the moon) in the picture.

Does anyone know which star this is?

My first thought was that it was in Leo. Saturn was close by that night and I know that was just to the left of the main body of the constelllation.

Regards

Alan Batty

I'm not sure what the star is, but did you see the LPOD showing Saturn grazing the moon the day before the eclipse?

http://www.lpod.org/?m=20070305

[NoelC]

Does anyone know which star this is?

The freeware sky chart software I use (Cartes du Ciel) labels the brightest/closest red star as "56 Leo". Here's an image showing the stats of that star, and the chart designations of two other relatively bright ones.



Click on the chart above to see a more easily-readable larger version.

-Noel

[BMAONE23]

NICE NOEL,

Looking at the star patterns, it is indeed 56LEO that is the star in question.