Venus transits the Sun, but not with every revolution.
The reason for this is that its orbital plane is at a 3 percent incline to the ecliptic, the Sun’s apparent path around Earth.
Only when Venus crosses the ecliptic at the time of its inferior conjunction will it transit the Sun.
It usually passes above or below the Sun from Earth’s point of view.
When it does cross the Sun’s surface, it appears as a small shadow.
The next time this is expected to happen is in 2012.
Related Posts
-
What Is Astronomical Transit and What Does Astronomical Transit Mean To Astronomers?
Astronomical transit occurs when a smaller celestial object passes in front of a larger one. For instance, all inferior planets will cross the face of the Sun at some point in their orbits.…
-
Why Does the Planet Venus Have Phases Like Mercury and Why Does Venus Sometimes Appear As a Crescent?
Because both Venus and Mercury are inferior planets, lying between Earth and the Sun, they exhibit phases, just like the Moon does, as they orbit the Sun. Venus is full during superior conjunction,…
-
Why Does the Planet Venus Shine So Brightly In the Sky and How Much Sunlight Does Venus Reflect?
Why Does the Planet Venus Shine So Brightly In the Sky and How Much Sunlight Does Venus Reflect? Oddly enough, Venus is so brilliant because it is covered in clouds. These clouds are…
-
How Did the Sun Dance Begin In Blackfoot Mythology and Why Did Sun Teach Poia the Sun Dance?
Feather woman's son, Poia, grew up with a large scar on his head. The other children made fun of it and made him an outcast. When Poia became a young man, he asked…
-
What Effect Does the Atmosphere Have On the Planet Venus and Why Is Venus Hotter Than Mercury?
The two major results of Venus's atmosphere are the amount of pressure it exerts on the planet's surface and the heat it traps. Carbon dioxide is a heavier gas than nitrogen. Because the…
-
What Is the Atmosphere On the Planet Venus Made Of and Why Is Venus Permanently Covered By Dense Cloud?
The planet Venus has an extremely dense atmosphere. The atmosphere on Venus, the second planet from the Sun, consists primarily of carbon dioxide (96.5 precent). Nitrogen makes up 3.5 percent of the atmosphere.…
