Planets TonightVenus in 2012: brightness, position and events
Brightest-4.7around May 1
Closest (in table)0.292 au44 million km
Farthest1.483 au
Events this year3
Brightest last year-4.6
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-27 16:44 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -4.4 | 0.709 | Aries | 46.0° |
| 2012-06-06 10:08 | Inferior conjunction | -3.0 | 0.289 | Taurus | 0.2° |
| 2012-08-15 18:06 | 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 | 1.292 | Capricornus | 34° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | -4.0 | 1.211 | Aquarius | 37° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | -4.1 | 1.105 | Aquarius | 40° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | -4.2 | 1.012 | Pisces | 42° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | -4.2 | 0.906 | Pisces | 44° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 15 | -4.3 | 0.802 | Aries | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | -4.5 | 0.672 | Taurus | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | -4.6 | 0.563 | Taurus | 44° E | Evening sky |
| May 1 | -4.7 | 0.445 | Taurus | 39° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | -4.7 | 0.356 | Taurus | 30° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | -4.1 | 0.292 | Taurus | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 15 | -4.0 | 0.302 | Taurus | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | -4.7 | 0.374 | Taurus | 32° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | -4.7 | 0.468 | Taurus | 41° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -4.5 | 0.596 | Taurus | 45° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | -4.4 | 0.706 | Gemini | 46° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 1 | -4.3 | 0.837 | Gemini | 45° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 15 | -4.2 | 0.942 | Cancer | 43° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 1 | -4.1 | 1.057 | Leo | 41° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 15 | -4.0 | 1.151 | Leo | 38° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 1 | -4.0 | 1.257 | Virgo | 35° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -4.0 | 1.337 | Virgo | 32° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -3.9 | 1.419 | Libra | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -3.9 | 1.483 | Libra | 25° 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 2012 (magnitude -4.7); 3 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.