>Hilmar,
>
>They have been very bright here in Utah.
I suppose you mean Venus and Jupiter.
Venus, when visible, is always the brightest "star". Jupiter is the second-brightest most of the time - when Mars is in opposition, he may be slightly brighter than Jupiter, for a relatively short time. AAR, both are brighter than the brightest "fixed-star", Sirius.
Hilmar.
Difference in opinions hath cost many millions of lives: for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether whistling be a vice or a virtue; whether it be better to kiss a post, or throw it into the fire... (from Gulliver's Travels)