Venus today
Venus is the brightest planet. It swings up to 47° either side of the Sun and shines as the evening star after sunset or the morning star before sunrise, never in the middle of the night.
| Constellation | Virgo |
|---|---|
| When to look | Morning sky |
| Elongation | 27.4° west of the Sun |
| Distance from Earth | 0.3190 AU · 47.7 million km |
| Light-time | 2 min 39 s |
| Motion against the stars | Retrograde |
| Ecliptic longitude seen from Earth | 202.91° · tropical Libra 22.9° |
| Ecliptic latitude seen from Earth | −1.99° |
| Distance from the Sun | 0.7216 AU · 108.0 million km |
| Heliocentric longitude and latitude | 61.92° · −0.88° |
See it in place: Venus on its orbit, in the 3D heliocentric view, or above your own horizon on the all-sky disk.
Coming events for Venus
Yes. Venus is in retrograde motion until November 14, 2026. Dates are in Universal Time. Every sky event of the year is in the astronomy calendar 2026 and the calendar 2027.
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Retrograde motion ends | Stationary in Virgo, then resumes its eastward motion. | |
| Greatest elongation west | 47.0° west of the Sun: best morning visibility. | |
| Superior conjunction | On the far side of the Sun, 1.731 AU from Earth. Not observable. | |
| Greatest elongation east | 46.1° east of the Sun: best evening visibility. | |
| Retrograde motion begins | Stationary in Taurus, then moves westward against the stars. | |
| Inferior conjunction | Passes between Earth and the Sun, 0.288 AU from Earth. Not observable. | |
| Retrograde motion ends | Stationary in Taurus, then resumes its eastward motion. | |
| Greatest elongation west | 45.8° west of the Sun: best morning visibility. |
Venus month by month
Position on the first day of each of the next twelve months, at 00:00 Universal Time.
| Date | Constellation | From the Sun | When to look | Distance (AU) | Motion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1, 2026 | Virgo | 40.8° west | Morning sky | 0.426 | Direct |
| January 1, 2027 | Libra | 46.9° west | Morning sky | 0.653 | Direct |
| February 1, 2027 | Sagittarius | 44.9° west | Morning sky | 0.887 | Direct |
| March 1, 2027 | Sagittarius | 40.5° west | Morning sky | 1.087 | Direct |
| April 1, 2027 | Aquarius | 34.2° west | Morning sky | 1.288 | Direct |
| May 1, 2027 | Pisces | 27.3° west | Morning sky | 1.457 | Direct |
| June 1, 2027 | Aries | 19.5° west | Morning sky | 1.597 | Direct |
| July 1, 2027 | Taurus | 11.5° west | Morning sky | 1.688 | Direct |
| August 1, 2027 | Cancer | 3.2° west | Not visible | 1.730 | Direct |
| September 1, 2027 | Leo | 5.7° east | Not visible | 1.717 | Direct |
| October 1, 2027 | Virgo | 13.5° east | Evening sky | 1.658 | Direct |
| November 1, 2027 | Libra | 21.3° east | Evening sky | 1.556 | Direct |
How Venus moves
Venus takes 224.7 days to orbit the Sun, and Earth and Venus return to the same alignment every 584 days. One cycle holds about nine months as a morning star, a long passage behind the Sun, about nine months as an evening star, then a quick dash between Earth and the Sun.
Venus is retrograde for about six weeks around inferior conjunction. That is when it is closest to Earth, about 0.27 AU, and shows a large, thin crescent in a small telescope.
Five synodic periods of Venus last almost exactly eight years, so its apparitions repeat on nearly the same dates every eight years.
Related definitions: opposition, conjunction, elongation, synodic period.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Venus in the sky right now?
On November 12, 2026, Venus is in the constellation Virgo, 27° west of the Sun: in the morning sky, low in the east before sunrise. It is 0.3190 AU from Earth (47.7 million km), and its light takes 2 min 39 s to reach us.
How far is Venus from Earth today?
Venus is 0.3190 AU from Earth on November 12, 2026, that is 47.7 million km. Light takes 2 min 39 s to cover that distance.
When is the next greatest elongation of Venus?
On January 3, 2027 (greatest elongation west). 47.0° west of the Sun: best morning visibility.
Is Venus in retrograde?
Yes. Venus is in retrograde motion until November 14, 2026.