In early 2025, Venus will offer a spectacular show as it transforms into the brightest ‘evening star’ in the southwestern sky after sunset. This rare celestial display occurs approximately every 19 months, making it a captivating event for skywatchers.
Venus, known for its dual identities as both the ‘evening star’ and the ‘morning star,’ never crosses the night sky like slower-moving planets. Instead, it is visible only near sunrise or sunset, shifting between these roles roughly every 584 days. With an orbit around the sun every 225 days, Venus aligns with Earth in a pattern that takes 19 months to reset, during which time it brightens as it comes closer to our planet, shining brilliantly in our skies.
Throughout the latter half of 2024, Venus has been ascendant in the evening sky, climbing higher each night. In 2025, this ascent will culminate in Venus appearing high above the western horizon, reaching its greatest elongation east on January 10. This is when Venus seems farthest from the sun as viewed from Earth. Shortly thereafter, Venus will reach a phase known as dichotomy, where half of its disk is illuminated by sunlight, visible to observers on Earth.
This phase transformation allows Venus to grow in apparent size as it approaches Earth, although it will present a crescent shape. By February 19, only 23% of Venus will be lit, yet it will shine at a dazzling magnitude of -4.9, one of the brightest visual magnitudes observable. Those with small telescopes are encouraged to keep an eye on Venus during January and February. Through a telescope, one can witness the planet’s crescent shape grow significantly in size as it nears Earth.
Key dates for viewing Venus in its 2025 evening show include a series of celestial conjunctions and peak brightness events. On January 3, Venus will appear strikingly close to a crescent moon, just 1.4 degrees apart. By February 16, Venus will reach its peak brilliance in the dusk sky, before transitioning in March to become the ‘morning star’ after moving behind the sun.
In the following months, dramatic views continue with Venus’ inferior conjunction on March 22, when it positions directly between the Earth and the sun. By April 22, it will emerge brighter than ever as the ‘morning star’ in the morning sky. Key future events also include its greatest elongation west on May 31, and a notable conjunction with Jupiter on August 12.
The year 2025 promises to be an exceptional time to observe Venus, as the planet offers some of its most remarkable phenomena. For those interested in skywatching, this period presents a unique opportunity to observe Venus in both its ‘evening’ and ‘morning’ star phases. Using tools such as telescopes and binoculars can greatly enhance this celestial experience.
Source: Space
