What's that bright star?
You stepped outside and something caught your eye. Tell us roughly where it is and we'll tell you what it is.
Pick a direction to begin
Tell us where the light is and we'll work out what's there, using the real positions of every bright planet and star above you.
Common questions
What is the very bright star in the sky tonight?
If it's brighter than everything else and doesn't twinkle, it is almost always Venus (low in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise) or Jupiter (which can be anywhere along the Sun's path, at any hour of the night). Use the tool above to check which one is in your sky right now.
What is the bright star next to the Moon?
The Moon travels along the same band of sky as the planets, so the bright point beside it is usually a planet: most often Jupiter, Venus, Saturn or Mars. Four bright stars also lie on the Moon's path: Aldebaran, Regulus, Spica and Antares.
Why is that star flashing red, green and blue?
It's a bright star seen low on the horizon, most often Sirius or Capella. Its light crosses a thick layer of turbulent air that splits it into rapidly changing colours. Nothing is wrong with the star, and it isn't a drone.
How do I tell a planet from a star?
Planets shine steadily while stars twinkle. Planets also stay close to the path the Sun and Moon take across the sky. A bright, steady light on that path is a planet.
What is the bright star in the east in the morning?
A brilliant light in the east before sunrise is usually Venus, the “morning star”. When Venus is elsewhere, it can be Jupiter, or in late summer the star Sirius.
I saw a bright light moving across the sky. What was it?
A steady light that takes a few minutes to cross the sky is a satellite. The International Space Station is the brightest and can outshine every star. A sudden streak lasting a second or two is a meteor.