“Venus was exceptionally visible last night,” says nature photographer Marcel van Engelen from Purmerend. Due to the time of day he was unable to take pictures, but he was able to see the planet.
“Venus was about 108 million kilometers from Earth yesterday, which is 28 percent closer than average,” says Marcel. “And that makes the planet about 50 percent brighter than normal.” This made it visible from large parts of the world.
Another chance next week
It is not often that the planet can be seen. “About twice a year, Venus is bright enough to see,” says Marcel. The next time Venus is clearly visible will be next Friday on January 10, also around sunset.
“The brightness of the planet will be about the same as last night.” It will then take about a year before Venus can be seen so clearly.
Weather forecast: cloudy or clear sky?
According to weatherman Jan Visser, it is not yet possible to say with certainty how cloudy it will be or whether it will be clear enough to see the planet. Marcel is a little more optimistic and predicts that there will be clear spells.