Planets TonightVenus in 1988: brightness, position and events
Brightest-4.7around May 15
Closest (in table)0.290 au43 million km
Farthest1.450 au
Events this year3
Brightest last year-4.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-04-03 17:17 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -4.4 | 0.711 | Taurus | 45.9° |
| 1988-06-13 08:59 | Inferior conjunction | -3.2 | 0.289 | Taurus | 0.8° |
| 1988-08-22 20:45 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -4.4 | 0.708 | Gemini | 45.8° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -4.0 | 1.333 | Capricornus | 32° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | -4.0 | 1.256 | Aquarius | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | -4.0 | 1.154 | Aquarius | 38° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | -4.1 | 1.063 | Pisces | 41° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | -4.2 | 0.960 | Pisces | 43° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 15 | -4.3 | 0.857 | Aries | 45° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | -4.4 | 0.728 | Taurus | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | -4.5 | 0.619 | Taurus | 45° E | Evening sky |
| May 1 | -4.7 | 0.496 | Taurus | 42° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | -4.7 | 0.398 | Taurus | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | -4.3 | 0.310 | Taurus | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | -3.7 | 0.290 | Taurus | 4° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | -4.5 | 0.337 | Taurus | 26° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | -4.7 | 0.419 | Taurus | 37° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -4.6 | 0.542 | Taurus | 44° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | -4.5 | 0.650 | Gemini | 46° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 1 | -4.3 | 0.782 | Gemini | 46° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 15 | -4.2 | 0.888 | Cancer | 44° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 1 | -4.1 | 1.005 | Leo | 42° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 15 | -4.1 | 1.102 | Leo | 40° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 1 | -4.0 | 1.212 | Virgo | 36° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -4.0 | 1.295 | Virgo | 33° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -3.9 | 1.382 | Libra | 30° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -3.9 | 1.450 | Libra | 27° 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 May 1988 (magnitude -4.7); 3 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.