Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is super easy to spot because it’s like a giant spotlight in the night sky, outshining all the other planets and stars. Only the moon is brighter. Why is Venus so bright? It’s because its thick atmosphere acts like a planet-sized mirror to the intense sunlight it receives.
Our ancestors noticed something peculiar about this bright object… there seemed to be two versions of it, one that appeared only in mornings before sunrise — the Morning Star — and one that appeared only in evenings after sunset — the Evening Star. They noticed that it would wax and wane over time. Then it would disappear only to reappear in its other form. For an explanation, see The Apparitions of Venus.
When you look at Venus through a telescope, it may just look like a featureless orb. But look closer and you’ll see phases like our Moon. The first to see these was Galileo Galilei in 1610, and when he saw them, he realized he had proof that the planets orbit the Sun and not the Earth -- a history changing discovery!
* Venus is close to the sun in our sky this month making viewing difficult.
* As its elongation increases, viewing chances improve.
* Around the last week, it may be possible to view it briefly after the sun sets (see above).
Look for a brilliant, yellowish-white orb on the ecliptic. Use a telescope to view the current phase but keep far from the sun to be safe.
Venus (February, 2018)
