Planets TonightVenus in 1978: brightness, position and events
Brightest-4.9around Dec 15
Closest (in table)0.275 au41 million km
Farthest1.711 au
Events this year3
Brightest last year-4.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-01-22 15:15 | Superior conjunction | -3.9 | 1.712 | Capricornus | 1.0° |
| 1978-08-30 04:53 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -4.4 | 0.681 | Virgo | 46.1° |
| 1978-11-08 06:34 | Inferior conjunction | -4.0 | 0.269 | Libra | 4.8° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -3.9 | 1.701 | Sagittarius | 5° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -3.9 | 1.710 | Sagittarius | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -3.9 | 1.711 | Capricornus | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -3.9 | 1.703 | Aquarius | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | -3.9 | 1.687 | Aquarius | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | -3.9 | 1.662 | Cetus | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | -3.9 | 1.619 | Pisces | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | -3.9 | 1.572 | Aries | 20° E | Evening sky |
| May 1 | -3.9 | 1.507 | Taurus | 24° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | -3.9 | 1.439 | Taurus | 28° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | -3.9 | 1.342 | Gemini | 32° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | -4.0 | 1.253 | Cancer | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | -4.0 | 1.143 | Leo | 38° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | -4.1 | 1.039 | Leo | 41° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | -4.2 | 0.908 | Leo | 44° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | -4.3 | 0.798 | Virgo | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | -4.5 | 0.663 | Virgo | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | -4.6 | 0.554 | Virgo | 45° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | -4.8 | 0.436 | Libra | 40° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | -4.8 | 0.347 | Libra | 32° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | -4.1 | 0.277 | Libra | 12° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | -4.1 | 0.275 | Libra | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -4.8 | 0.335 | Libra | 31° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -4.9 | 0.421 | Libra | 41° W | Morning sky |
Computed with the JPL DE421 ephemeris and Skyfield (times in JST). Magnitude and distance are for 12:00 JST on each date. Visibility is a rough guide for mid-northern latitudes such as Japan.
About this page
Venus is brightest around December 1978 (magnitude -4.9); 3 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.