[extropy-chat] big bright light in the northwest

[Spike]

> Reason
> big bright light in the northwest
> 
> 
> Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what that big bright,
> brighter-than-planets star in the northwest is? Visible in 
> California right
> now (21:30PST). I just saw it on the way back home tonight, 
> and various
> folks in Texas claim to be able to see it also.
> 
> Reason
> Founder, Longevity Meme


Venus, Reason.  Takes a lotta people by surprise when it
is near peak brightness, as it is now.  Watch in a about a
week, go out before the moon rises.  If you can get to a
place where there are no city lights nearby, you might
be able to catch a really cool phenom that I have only
seen twice myself: Venusian shadows.  

Venus is essentially a point source of light, so the shadows
it creates have a surreal sharp edged quality.  The half degree
diameter of a full moon creates fuzzy edged shadows that are 
merely surfake or surimaginary.

spike