Venus 



Dorothy Purdy Hillas 

 Morristown, N. J. 



This planet, appearing in a burst of brilliancy, soon retreating 

 and again peeping out before the world is yet awake is aptly named 

 for the goddess who in mythology is typical of love and beauty. 

 It is the best known and most admired of the planets excelling the 

 others when it hangs in silvery softness above the sun which has 

 just disappeared from view. It is equally lovely when it appears 

 as a morning star just before the sun rises. 



Venus is the most easily recognized planet due to its extreme 

 brilliancy and a peculiar silvery appearance just a little tinged 

 with yellow. Likewise it is easily remembered by its favorable 

 situation and limited range. It is far enough away from the sun 

 to be seen as much as three hours after sunset, yet because it has 

 a smaller orbit which is nearer the sun than that of the earth, it 

 does not rise to heights, which are uncomfortable for observance. 

 When seen at all, it appears in brilliancy which brings joy to the 

 beholder. 



Venus never twinkles but her light is so steady and soft that at 

 times the disk can almost be seen with the naked eyes, and the 

 light can often be seen in the daytime if one knows where to look. 

 It is six times as bright as that brightest of all fixed stars Sirius. 

 Besides being intrinsically brighter than any of the other planets, 

 this brilliancy appears even greater since Venus comes nearer to 

 the earth than any other. From equal areas, it reflects four times 

 as much light as Mercury and three times as much as Mars. 



The planet is never higher in the sky than 45 degrees which is 

 half way between the horizon and zenith, and never farther from 

 the sun than 48 degrees. She is 67,269,000 miles from the sun and 

 25,000,000 miles from the earth when in inferior conjunction, nearer 

 the earth than any other planet except the moon and one small 

 asteroid. This is also the nearest which Venus approaches any 

 other heavenly body. 



About six weeks after Venus has passed superior conjunction, we 

 first begin to notice her. She is then very near the sun, and follows 

 him a little less than half an hour after sunset. Every evening fol- 

 lowing she shines brighter, mounts higher, and sets later, until 

 seven months later, she sets a little more than three hours after 



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