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As of February 2007, Venus is the "evening star." It shines brightly in the West in the hours after sunset. It is visible long before the sky is dark enough to see any other star, and when people "wish upon a star" very often they are actually wishing upon Venus. You can see it shining through a window in a lit room, just like the "wishing star" in the opening of Walt Disney's animated cartoon, ''Pinocchio."
As of February 2007, Venus is the "evening star." It shines brightly in the West in the hours after sunset. It is visible long before the sky is dark enough to see any other star, and when people "wish upon a star" very often they are actually wishing upon Venus. You can see it shining through a window in a lit room, just like the "wishing star" in the opening of Walt Disney's animated cartoon, ''Pinocchio."
Astronomy books sometimes claim, that "planets do not twinkle." This is not quite true, but Venus does shine with a noticeably steadier light than the stars do. When looking at Venus, it is quite possible to wonder whether one is looking at a plane, until one has watched for long enough to be sure that it is not moving (or, at least, not moving quickly enough to notice).
Astronomy books sometimes claim that "planets do not twinkle." This is not quite true, but Venus in particular does shine with a steadier light than any star. When looking at Venus, it is quite possible to wonder whether one is looking at a plane, until one has watched for long enough to be sure that it is not moving (or, at least, not moving quickly enough to notice).
Venus alternates back and forth between being the "evening star" and the "morning star." As the evening star, it sets in the West after the sun does. As the morning star, it rises in the East before the sun does. In between, it rises and sets at about the same time as the Sun and is lost in the sun's glare.
Venus alternates back and forth between being the "evening star" and the "morning star." As the evening star, it sets in the West after the sun does. As the morning star, it rises in the East before the sun does. In between, it rises and sets at about the same time as the Sun and is lost in the sun's glare.