Make a day-date with Venus on Monday

Guangzhou (CNS) -- Venus will be bright enough for naked-eye observation during daylight hours on April 30, predicted the Guangzhou Wuyang Planetarium.

If weather conditions allow, people can witness the silver light of the lover's planet in the western skies before sunset. After nightfall, the brightest planet in the solar system after the Sun and Moon themselves, will look like a brilliant luminous pearl in the vastness of space.

The synodic period of the earth and Venus is around 584 days, and the last time the two planets had this kind of rendezvous was September 24, 2010.

On June 6, stargazers nationwide can catch sight of the last transit Venus will make this century, without the aid of telescopes. Using an optical filter it will appear to be a black spot moving across the face of the sun.

On July 12, it will return to its former glory and greet the people of earth before sunrise from the east. August 15 is another golden opportunity of the year after March 27 for observers to carefully admire the shining beauty.