How Venus’s apparent size changes
Venus appears 60.9″ across on 22 October 2026. It is 0.274 AU from Earth and is currently close to its largest apparent size in this cycle.
Venus Size and Distance
Drag through the orbit to see how Venus’s apparent size, distance, brightness and illumination change over time.
- Angular diameter
- 60.9″
- Distance to Earth
- 0.274 AU
- Magnitude
- -4.2
- Illuminated
- 0.8%
Drag the orbit to move through the cycle
Venus Apparent Size Over Time
Approximately weekly samples cover the complete minimum–maximum–minimum cycle. Exact event dates are inserted between sampled rows.
| Date | Angular size | Distance | Magnitude | Rise–Set | Best observing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 9.8″ | 1.711 AU | -3.9 | 06:30 – 16:04 | — |
| 9.8″ | 1.71 AU | -3.9 | 06:35 – 16:19 | — | |
| 9.8″ | 1.707 AU | -3.9 | 06:37 – 16:35 | — | |
| 9.8″ | 1.702 AU | -3.9 | 06:37 – 16:51 | — | |
| 9.8″ | 1.695 AU | -3.9 | 06:35 – 17:07 | — | |
| 9.9″ | 1.686 AU | -3.9 | 06:32 – 17:23 | — | |
| 10″ | 1.675 AU | -3.9 | 06:27 – 17:39 | — | |
| 10″ | 1.661 AU | -3.9 | 06:21 – 17:55 | 17:25 – 17:29 | |
| 10.1″ | 1.646 AU | -3.9 | 06:14 – 18:15 | 17:32 – 17:50 | |
| 10.2″ | 1.629 AU | -3.9 | 06:07 – 18:25 | 17:38 – 18:00 | |
| 10.4″ | 1.609 AU | -3.9 | 06:00 – 18:40 | 17:45 – 18:15 | |
| 10.5″ | 1.586 AU | -3.9 | 05:54 – 18:55 | 17:51 – 18:30 | |
| 10.7″ | 1.562 AU | -3.9 | 05:48 – 19:11 | 17:58 – 18:45 | |
| 10.9″ | 1.535 AU | -3.9 | 05:44 – 19:26 | 18:04 – 19:00 | |
| 11.1″ | 1.505 AU | -3.9 | 05:41 – 19:42 | 18:11 – 19:15 | |
| 11.3″ | 1.473 AU | -3.9 | 05:40 – 19:57 | 18:18 – 19:30 | |
| 11.6″ | 1.438 AU | -3.9 | 05:41 – 20:12 | 18:25 – 19:44 | |
| 11.9″ | 1.401 AU | -3.9 | 05:44 – 20:26 | 18:31 – 19:58 | |
| 12.3″ | 1.362 AU | -3.9 | 05:50 – 20:38 | 18:38 – 20:09 | |
| 12.6″ | 1.32 AU | -3.9 | 05:58 – 20:48 | 18:44 – 20:19 | |
| 13.1″ | 1.276 AU | -4 | 06:08 – 20:56 | 18:50 – 20:27 | |
| 13.6″ | 1.23 AU | -4 | 06:20 – 21:00 | 18:55 – 20:32 | |
| 14.1″ | 1.182 AU | -4 | 06:33 – 21:02 | 18:59 – 20:34 | |
| 14.7″ | 1.132 AU | -4 | 06:47 – 21:01 | 19:01 – 20:34 | |
| 15.4″ | 1.081 AU | -4 | 07:00 – 20:58 | 19:02 – 20:31 | |
| 16.2″ | 1.028 AU | -4.1 | 07:13 – 20:52 | 19:02 – 20:26 | |
| 17.1″ | 0.974 AU | -4.1 | 07:25 – 20:45 | 19:00 – 20:19 | |
| 18.1″ | 0.92 AU | -4.2 | 07:36 – 20:36 | 18:56 – 20:10 | |
| 19.3″ | 0.864 AU | -4.2 | 07:47 – 20:25 | 18:51 – 20:00 | |
| 20.6″ | 0.808 AU | -4.3 | 07:56 – 20:13 | 18:44 – 19:48 | |
| 22.2″ | 0.752 AU | -4.3 | 08:00 – 20:01 | 18:37 – 19:35 | |
| 24″ | 0.696 AU | -4.4 | 08:11 – 19:47 | 18:28 – 19:21 | |
| 26.1″ | 0.64 AU | -4.5 | 08:17 – 19:32 | 18:18 – 19:06 | |
| 28.5″ | 0.585 AU | -4.6 | 08:21 – 19:16 | 18:08 – 18:50 | |
| 31.4″ | 0.531 AU | -4.7 | 08:23 – 18:59 | 17:58 – 18:32 | |
| 34.8″ | 0.479 AU | -4.7 | 08:21 – 18:40 | 17:47 – 18:12 | |
| 38.9″ | 0.429 AU | -4.8 | 08:16 – 18:18 | 17:36 – 17:50 | |
| 43.5″ | 0.383 AU | -4.8 | 08:04 – 17:54 | 17:25 – 17:25 | |
| 48.8″ | 0.342 AU | -4.8 | 07:45 – 17:26 | — | |
| 54.1″ | 0.308 AU | -4.6 | 07:15 – 16:54 | — | |
| 58.6″ | 0.285 AU | -4.2 | 06:34 – 16:20 | — | |
| Today | 60.9″ | 0.274 AU | -4.2 | 05:52 – 15:51 | — |
| 61″ | 0.273 AU | -4.2 | 05:45 – 15:46 | — | |
| Maximum | 61.2″ | 0.273 AU | -4.2 | 05:30 – 15:36 | — |
| 60.4″ | 0.276 AU | -4.2 | 04:54 – 15:14 | — | |
| 57″ | 0.293 AU | -4.5 | 04:08 – 14:47 | 04:29 – 05:08 | |
| 52″ | 0.321 AU | -4.8 | 03:32 – 14:24 | 03:53 – 05:15 | |
| 46.7″ | 0.357 AU | -4.9 | 03:05 – 14:05 | 03:28 – 05:22 | |
| 41.7″ | 0.4 AU | -4.9 | 02:48 – 13:49 | 03:12 – 05:29 | |
| 37.3″ | 0.447 AU | -4.9 | 02:37 – 13:36 | 03:02 – 05:35 | |
| 33.6″ | 0.497 AU | -4.8 | 02:33 – 13:25 | 02:59 – 05:40 | |
| 30.5″ | 0.548 AU | -4.7 | 02:32 – 13:15 | 02:59 – 05:45 | |
| 27.8″ | 0.6 AU | -4.6 | 02:35 – 13:07 | 03:02 – 05:48 | |
| 25.5″ | 0.653 AU | -4.6 | 02:40 – 13:02 | 03:08 – 05:50 | |
| 23.6″ | 0.707 AU | -4.5 | 02:47 – 12:57 | 03:16 – 05:51 | |
| 22″ | 0.76 AU | -4.4 | 02:55 – 12:55 | 03:24 – 05:49 | |
| 20.5″ | 0.812 AU | -4.4 | 03:04 – 12:55 | 03:34 – 05:47 | |
| 19.3″ | 0.865 AU | -4.3 | 03:13 – 12:58 | 03:43 – 05:43 | |
| 18.2″ | 0.916 AU | -4.2 | 03:21 – 13:02 | 03:51 – 05:37 | |
| 17.3″ | 0.967 AU | -4.2 | 03:29 – 13:09 | 03:58 – 05:30 | |
| 16.4″ | 1.017 AU | -4.1 | 03:35 – 13:18 | 04:04 – 05:22 | |
| 15.7″ | 1.066 AU | -4.1 | 03:39 – 13:28 | 04:08 – 05:14 | |
| 15″ | 1.114 AU | -4.1 | 03:41 – 13:40 | 04:09 – 05:04 | |
| 14.4″ | 1.161 AU | -4 | 03:42 – 13:53 | 04:09 – 04:54 | |
| 13.8″ | 1.207 AU | -4 | 03:41 – 14:07 | 04:07 – 04:44 | |
| 13.3″ | 1.251 AU | -4 | 03:38 – 14:20 | 04:04 – 04:33 | |
| 12.9″ | 1.294 AU | -3.9 | 03:34 – 14:34 | 03:59 – 04:22 | |
| 12.5″ | 1.336 AU | -3.9 | 03:29 – 14:48 | 03:54 – 04:12 | |
| 12.1″ | 1.376 AU | -3.9 | 03:24 – 15:07 | 03:48 – 04:02 | |
| 11.8″ | 1.415 AU | -3.9 | 03:17 – 15:21 | 03:42 – 03:52 | |
| 11.5″ | 1.452 AU | -3.9 | 03:11 – 15:35 | 03:35 – 03:43 | |
| 11.2″ | 1.487 AU | -3.9 | 03:05 – 15:49 | 03:30 – 03:35 | |
| 11″ | 1.521 AU | -3.9 | 03:00 – 16:03 | 03:24 – 03:28 | |
| 10.8″ | 1.552 AU | -3.9 | 02:55 – 16:17 | 03:20 – 03:22 | |
| 10.6″ | 1.581 AU | -3.9 | 02:51 – 16:32 | 03:17 – 03:18 | |
| 10.4″ | 1.608 AU | -3.9 | 02:50 – 16:47 | — | |
| 10.2″ | 1.632 AU | -3.9 | 02:50 – 17:01 | — | |
| 10.1″ | 1.654 AU | -3.9 | 02:52 – 17:15 | — | |
| 10″ | 1.673 AU | -3.9 | 02:56 – 17:29 | — | |
| 9.9″ | 1.69 AU | -3.9 | 03:03 – 17:40 | — | |
| 9.8″ | 1.704 AU | -3.9 | 03:13 – 17:50 | — | |
| 9.7″ | 1.715 AU | -3.9 | 03:24 – 17:58 | — | |
| 9.7″ | 1.723 AU | -3.9 | 03:38 – 18:03 | — | |
| 9.7″ | 1.729 AU | -3.9 | 03:52 – 18:06 | — | |
| 9.6″ | 1.731 AU | -3.9 | 04:07 – 18:06 | — | |
| 9.6″ | 1.732 AU | -3.9 | 04:09 – 18:06 | — | |
Why Does Venus Change Size?
Venus’s physical diameter is not changing. Its apparent angular diameter changes mainly because the distance between Earth and Venus changes as both planets move around the Sun.
When Will Venus Have Its Largest Apparent Diameter?
Venus will reach an apparent diameter of 61.2″ on 25 October 2026. That is about 1× wider than today, or roughly 1× the apparent disk area.
The largest apparent-size date is poorly placed or unobservable from your location. The largest sampled opportunity in this cycle is around 6 November 2026, when Venus is about 57″ across and observable from 04:29 – 05:08.