The planet Venus is visible as an evening star from around the start of October until the end of December. And then again from around mid-February until mid-March. It’s visible in the western sky after sunset and goes by its other name, the Evening Star. However, it’s also sometimes seen in the morning sky before sunrise — so why is Venus sometimes called the Morning Star?
Venus is a Morning Star Occasionally
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting roughly every 224.7 days. Because of its proximity to the Sun, we only ever see it on the western horizon at dawn or dusk. Venus is visible as a morning star for a few months around its closest approach to Earth. And then again as an evening star for a few months around its maximum distance. Venus can also be seen in the eastern sky around sunrise. But this is extremely rare — because it’s inside Earth’s orbit, its angular distance from us is much smaller, so it’s much harder to spot.
Why Can’t We See Venus During the Morning?
Venus sits just inside the orbit of Earth, so it’s usually seen from the Earth’s perspective as a “morning star” shortly before sunrise. However, it’s extremely close to the Sun in our sky, and therefore it’s very difficult to see. You can try to catch a glimpse of Venus in the morning sky by looking for it about an hour before sunrise, but it’s incredibly difficult to spot Venus when it’s low in the sky. Venus is so bright that it can cause eye damage, so it’s best to view it through binoculars. Alternatively, you can use a telescope to magnify it. But make sure it’s fitted with a proper filter, or you risk damaging your eyes.
Can You See Venus in the Morning?
Because Venus is so close to the Sun in our sky, it can be difficult to see in the morning. However, since its orbit is inside Earth, it can be seen at dawn on rare occasions. Around the equinoxes when the Sun is low in the sky, or when there are no clouds in the sky. For example, on September 22, 2021, the Sun sit very low on the horizon, so Venus are visible early in the morning.
The Meaning of “Morning Star”
As we’ve seen, the planet Venus can sometimes be seen in the morning sky. However, this is very rare, so it’s worth asking why we refer to Venus as the “Morning Star” at all.Though many people assume that the “Morning Star” refers to the planet rising early in the morning, this is incorrect. The name refers to Venus’s position in the night sky.The ancient Greeks and Romans named the planet Venus after their goddess of love and beauty.However, they also had a god named Mars, who was the god of war.So, they had two gods of love and two gods of war.
Venus in Ancient Culture
Ancient Romans called it “the Morning Star” because they could sometimes see it in the morning.Since they had two gods of love, they naturally had two gods of war.The Roman god of war was Mars, and the planet Mars was named after him.Since the planet Venus could sometimes be seen in the morning, it was called “the Morning Star.”
Final Words
It was sometimes called the “Morning Star” because it could be seen at dawn. When it can be seen in the morning, it’s extremely difficult to spot, and it’s best to look for it shortly before sunrise. However, this is rare, so Venus is usually only seen in the evening sky. When it can be seen in the evening, it can be spotted in the western sky, around sunset. It’s visible from October until December, and again from February until March.
