UFO suspicions mistaken identity
THE planet Venus has been fascinating some Nebo residents, who've mistaken it for a UFO.
Peter Scully said a group of his Nebo neighbours had been watching a light in the sky each night.
"It comes up at about 6pm and by 8pm it's gone," Mr Scully said.
"My wife was sitting out the front of our house one night when she said, "That thing in the sky is not a star".
"Then it started coming up every night, so I got the binoculars out. When we stared at it for too long it seemed to have green and red lights around it."
Mackay amateur astronomer Warren Maag said it was not the first time people had though the planet was a UFO.
"Venus is so close to the sun and quite low, so its change of colour gives the illusion that it's moving," Mr Maag said.
"It's also the brightest light apart from the moon. It will look larger as it sets."
Venus, which can be seen in the western sky, had been the source of many UFO 'sightings', he said.
"Last year an Air Canada pilot flying from Toronto to Zurich saw an alarming sight and he thought the plane was going to collide with another aircraft.
"The plane took a nose dive and some people were injured.
"The light he saw is believed to have been Venus."
Mr Maag said to watch for the Transit of Venus across the sun on June 2.
"You need to wear protective (eye)gear," he said.
"You can buy disposable transit glasses from shop.iceinspace.com.au."
