Greatest elongations of Venus until 2037
Dates are in Universal Time. East of the Sun means an evening apparition, west a morning one.
| Date | Side | Angle from the Sun | When to look | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | 47.0° | Morning, before sunrise | Libra | |
| East | 46.1° | Evening, after sunset | Aries | |
| West | 45.8° | Morning, before sunrise | Gemini | |
| East | 47.0° | Evening, after sunset | Ophiuchus | |
| West | 46.6° | Morning, before sunrise | Capricornus | |
| East | 45.4° | Evening, after sunset | Gemini | |
| West | 46.4° | Morning, before sunrise | Leo | |
| East | 47.2° | Evening, after sunset | Aquarius | |
| West | 45.9° | Morning, before sunrise | Pisces | |
| East | 45.9° | Evening, after sunset | Virgo | |
| West | 46.9° | Morning, before sunrise | Libra | |
| East | 46.2° | Evening, after sunset | Aries | |
| West | 45.8° | Morning, before sunrise | Gemini | |
| East | 47.0° | Evening, after sunset | Ophiuchus |
Why Venus never strays far from the Sun
The orbit of Venus lies inside that of Earth, so we always see the planet in roughly the same direction as the Sun. The elongation is the angle between the two; its maximum is between 45° and 47° for Venus.
Around greatest elongation Venus sets up to three hours after the Sun, or rises up to three hours before it, and shows a half-lit disc in a telescope. It is at its brightest about five weeks from the date, on the side of the inferior conjunction.
Between two greatest elongations the planet passes either between Earth and the Sun (inferior conjunction) or behind the Sun (superior conjunction), and is lost in the glare.
Conjunctions of Venus with the Sun
| Date | Conjunction | Distance from Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Superior conjunction | 1.731 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.288 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.723 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.266 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.717 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.289 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.735 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.280 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.711 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.274 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.732 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.288 AU |
Frequently asked questions
When is the next greatest elongation of Venus?
The next greatest elongation of Venus is on January 3, 2027, in 52 days: 47.0° west of the Sun, in the morning sky before sunrise.
When is the best time to see Venus?
In the days around a greatest elongation, when the planet is farthest from the glare of the Sun. The coming ones are on January 3, 2027 (morning), March 22, 2028 (evening) and August 10, 2028 (morning).
How far from the Sun can Venus appear?
At most between 45° and 47°, depending on the apparition.