September 23, 2026: Venus reaches greatest brilliancy tonight as it moves toward inferior conjunction on October 23. Look for the brilliant Evening Star low in the west-southwest during evening twilight.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:39 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:46 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus as an Evening Star
Venus, Greatest Brilliancy
Venus is at greatest brilliancy tonight. As the planet moves toward inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun on October 23, it reaches the optimum combination of apparent size and illuminated phase, making it the brightest of this evening apparition.
The Evening Star’s visibility suffers from the low angle the ecliptic makes with the western horizon at this season. This causes the planet to shine from low in the west-southwest during evening twilight.
As the third-brightest celestial body visible from Earth, Venus shines through the colorful hues of early twilight. At 30 minutes after sunset, the planet is only 3° above the horizon. Find a clear horizon looking toward the planet. A view from a hilltop or the top floor of an elevated structure provides a view over any obstacles.
Through a telescope, Venus shows a crescent phase that is about 20% illuminated. The crescent is easily visible through a small telescope. As the planet approaches inferior conjunction, the crescent thins while Venus’ apparent size increases.
Watch the brilliant planet as it disappears into brighter twilight. On October 3, it sets at the end of evening twilight.
After inferior conjunction, Venus emerges from bright sunlight into the eastern morning sky as the Morning Star, beginning a new morning apparition.
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