Index | Orbit - Approaching Path - Receeding Path - Phases

Path of Venus through the Sky as seen from Earth

The Phases of Venus

orbit diagram

27th Feb 2004

< | 27 Feb - 27 Mar - 1 May - 11 May - 30 May - 8 Jun - | >

Click the links to step through the phase positions.
The dates relate to the images on the right.

As Venus approaches Earth, it passes through a series of phases from a full globe to a thin crescent. When on the other side of the Sun to Earth, Venus' full face is visible, though small, because of its distance from Earth. As Venus passes between Earth and the Sun, only a sunlight crescent is visible, though the planet appears larger, because it is closer to Earth.

While Venus is close to the Sun, its thick atmosphere can appear as a backlit ring.

As it receeds from Earth, Venus passes though the same set of phases, in the reverse order.


Photographic sequence of approach phases of Venus, 2004, Statis Kalyvas,
ESO VT2004