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Why is Venus Visible in the Night Sky When it’s Orbit is Closer to the Sun?

-- Brian | October 6, 2020

Question:

My part of Earth’s facing away from the Sun at night yet I see Venus which orbits closer to the Sun than Earth, shouldn’t Venus not be visible to me?

-- Brian

Answer:

You can only see Venus just before sunrise or just after sunset, when it is in a part of its orbit that is just barely visible from Earth’s night side. A similar situation makes Mercury visible only during these times also.

-- Jeff Mangum

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