Can you help me identify this star or planet?

Question

I was driving north on I-5 in northern California about 3:30am and there was a fairly bright star or planet to the west. It was about 15° above the horizon and had a yellowish tint to it. Because I was driving I couldn't tell if it was near any constellations, but it was easily the brightest object in that portion of the sky.

Answer 1

it is a star cannot be planet

Answer 2

I'm betting Jupiter.  It would have been basically south-west and low down but basically the brightest object in the sky.

Answer 3

At that time, Jupiter would have been the brightest object in the sky and also low down in the south west, so it's fairly certain that's what you saw. None of the other naked-eye planets would have been above the horizon at the time.

Answer 4

proxima centauri the second

Answer 5

If you're heading north on I-5, was it behind you or in front of you?  Behind you it was Jupiter (Saturn set along with the Sun and couldn't be up), it would have been in the south western sky in the ecliptic (the path that the Moon, Sun, and planets follow).  If it was ahead of you and was a bit reddish, it could have been Arcturus,  As in starhopping and the saying: from the Big Dipper, "Follow the arc (in the handle) to Arcturus", Arcturus is a red giant and has some color to it, if you still are having smoke from fires it might look different.  That late in the evening it will be low on the horizon to the north west.

Answer 6

it must be jupiter

Answer 7

It was Jupiter.  

http://www.stellarium.org/

This is great freeware that you can download.  Just tell it where you are and it will tell you what you see.  

Enjoy.

Answer 8

Bright, yellowish, sounds like Saturn.