Venus, the brightest planet we see from Earth, will reach its maximum brightness in the evening on the western horizon after sunset.
According to the Oman Astronomical Society, "Venus is the third brightest celestial body after the sun and the moon, with an apparent brightness of -4.52 magnitude, making it about 30 times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky after the sun.
Venus will reach its peak brightness during this cycle, and it will be in the crescent phase, which is the phase during which it reflects a large amount of sunlight due to the angle at which the sun forms to the Earth and Venus. During this period, the planet will be at its closest point to the Earth, which makes it brighter and clearer, especially when observed with telescopes that will reveal the features of its surface covered with dense clouds.
Venus will remain visible in the evening sky until mid-March as it will gradually disappear on March 16, to reappear on the eastern horizon as a 'morning star' at the end of the same month.
This period is a golden opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts to observe one of the most beautiful celestial scenes, whether with the naked eye or using telescopes that will reveal the details of the crescent phase that the planet is passing through.
Venus is classified as one of the inner planets because it revolves within the Earth's orbit around the sun, and it is the second closest planet to it after Mercury.
Due to its proximity to the sun, it cannot be seen all night like the rest of the outer planets, but rather appears either before sunrise on the eastern horizon or after sunset on the western horizon.
During these periods, it is far enough away from the sun's glare to appear bright and clear to the naked eye. Al-Hana'i reported that the planet Venus was associated with ancient civilizations, as the Greeks and Romans called it the "morning star" and the "evening star" due to its repeated appearance at specific times of the day, which made it an important symbol in many cultures.
Venus has a very thick and dense atmosphere that is mainly composed of carbon dioxide with amounts of nitrogen and sulfuric acid, which makes it reflect 75 percent of sunlight, which is one of the main factors that give it this exceptional glow, but this atmosphere does not only reflect light but also leads to massive global warming that makes Venus the hottest planet in the solar system, as its surface temperature reaches 467 degrees Celsius, which is enough heat to melt lead, and its atmospheric pressure is 92 times greater than the Earth's pressure, which is equivalent to diving 900 meters below sea level on Earth.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
