Ask A Scientist© Astronomy Archive

Question:  In the early evening in the north by north west sky I see a
heavenly body that is red white and blue with white being
the central color and the others polarized to the lateral sides.
As evening progresses it seems to move more to the spouth rather than to the
the west.  Is this a man made object.?  It has been suggested to
me that it is a geosynchronous satellite.  If so, what is the
purpose of the colored lights.
michael b lomonaco

Answer 1:  I've never heard of a geosynchronous satellite being visible to the
naked eye nor any satellite with colored lights. Sirius, the brightest
star in the heavens, often appears in different colors due to
atmospheric refraction effects, but it would be towards the east in
early evening. It might be Venus or Jupiter, they're both bright enough
to cause color effects, but I'm not sure where they are in the sky
right now. By the strict definition of the term, you have seen a UFO!
hawley

Answer 2:  I don't know your latitude, so I don't know how the heavens look
from where you are.  In Northern Illinois, Sirius is in the South and
so is Jupiter.  Arcturus is bright in the West.  Best thing to do is
get a copy of Sky and Telescope which always contains a star map for
the current season.
jlu