Page 1 of 1

SIze of Venus

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:26 pm
by EMO
Venus looks large in front of the Sun as viewed from my celestron, it never appears to look that large when it is on the other side of the sun.
My question is, how large would it be in comparison to the size it is during the transit if it were behind the sun or at its furthest from us?

Re: SIze of Venus

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:51 pm
by Chris Peterson
EMO wrote:Venus looks large in front of the Sun as viewed from my celestron, it never appears to look that large when it is on the other side of the sun.
My question is, how large would it be in comparison to the size it is during the transit if it were behind the sun or at its furthest from us?
Venus varies in angular size from about 66 arcsec when it's closest (inferior conjunction, as during the transit) to less than 10 arcsec when it is farthest away (superior conjunction). So there's a nearly sevenfold difference.
Click to view full size image
(This image only shows it when it's near one of its elongation points, not nearly all the way to superior conjunction.)

Re: SIze of Venus

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:22 am
by EMO
Thanks Chris, question answered.