Venus Lights up the Evening Sky

Excellent viewing of the second closest planet to the Sun

Named for the Roman Goddess of Love, Venus is shining bright each night just after sunset in the western sky.

If you would like to catch a glimpse then look towards the western sky just after sunset. The bright planet travels along the same path the sun takes, do it early though because the planet drops below the horizon by about 9:00 PM.

Venus is the third brightest natural object in the sky, third only to the sun and moon.

The reason it is so bright is due to the atmosphere of the planet. It is extremely dense, the pressure at the surface is about 90 times that of which you feel on the surface of Earth.

The outer atmosphere is composed of clouds of sulfuric acid. These are extremely reflective and makes Venus brighter than the brightest stars. It is so bright in fact that if you know where you look, you may be able to see it during the day.

So take a look up after sunset and enjoy Venus, if you can't find it, it must be cloudy.

For more information check out the "All about Venus" from Space.com.

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