Skywatchers will have the chance to witness a rare event that is not set to happen again for another eight years. Venus will be visible in the night sky until March 21 both before sunrise and after sunset.
Known as dual visibility, no special equipment is required to see it, although anyone with a telescope should enjoy a spectacular view as it comes close to the Earth. Venus is the brightest planet in our solar system, earning the nicknames 'evening star' and 'morning star', depending on when it appears.
In fact, due to its shifting position in the sky, Venus was once thought to be two distinct stars—one appearing at dawn, the other at dusk. Many early astronomers were unaware that the morning and evening stars were actually the same object.
The dual visibility phenomenon can generally be seen from latitudes of London, UK, or further north. It will not happen again until 2033, so make the most of it. Look west in the evening low down in the sky after sunset. To see it in the morning, it should be visible just before sunrise, close to the horizon in the east.
In London, the estimated time slot to see it is 6.30pm to 6.50pm. People are urged to be careful in the morning though, as observing the planet when any part of the sun is above the horizon could cause irreversible damage to your eyes, due to Venus' close proximity to the sun.
Venus normally orbits closer to the sun than Earth does, meaning it is mostly visible at nighttime. This time, Venus and the sun are particularly misaligned, causing Venus to appear far enough north of the sun to be visible in both the evening and morning skies from certain locations.
This pattern occurs every eight years - the last time it happened was 2017. This time, it is occurring a few days before its inferior conjunction ( March 23), which occurs when a planet passes approximately between Earth and the sun.
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