Could somebody, please, explain why?
2006-08-25 03:12:29 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because they are both "Inferior Planets"
inferior planet: a planet whose orbit lies inside that of the earth. There are two inferior planets, Mercury and Venus. They always seem to be close to the sun in the sky; the greatest elongation of Mercury is 28°, and that of Venus, 47°. For this reason, neither can be seen for more than two or three hours after sunset or before sunrise.
2006-08-25 03:19:48 · answer #1 · answered by Cincinnatus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mercury and Venus are between the Sun and the Earth. If it's midnight you're directly away from the Sun and so the rest of the Earth would definitely be blocking your view of those two planets.
2006-08-25 10:20:42 · answer #2 · answered by Kyrix 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I saw Venus yesterday morning, just before sunrise. Nothing odd is going on, all the planets are in their usual orbits.
That reminds me of the time my grandmother called to ask what the bright star near the Moon was. I told here it was Venus. The next day she called and said, "IT MOVED"!. I told here that everything moves, Venus orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth so they appear in different places in the sky all the time and Venus would not always be visible near the Moon. She was shocked, thinking that only Earth moved, around the Sun.
2006-08-25 10:20:42 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are too close to the Sun and they are seen only during afternoon and early evening hours ! Mercury cannot be seen at all, but Venus could be seen in late mornings or early evenings.
2006-08-25 10:19:06 · answer #4 · answered by R G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This does have to do with the planets being inferior planets. Venus can be observed as it moves from its greatest eastern elongation to its greatest western elongation. At midnight you would be on the side opposite the inferior planets so you would not be able to see them OR the sun.
2006-08-25 20:03:45 · answer #5 · answered by Magnetochemist 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
venus and mercury are closet to the sun. During midnight you are facing 180 degrees away from the sun. so think about it
2006-08-25 10:23:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both planets are in orbits close to the sun, so they are always near the sun in the sky... that means they always appear near the horizon shortly after sunset or right before sunrise when viewed at night.
Astronomers can see them during the day with special equipment.
And you can see them during the day when they "transit" in front of the sun.
Aloha
2006-08-25 10:17:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
earth is rotating and those planet opposite side of the earth of
ur view side
2006-08-25 10:24:53 · answer #8 · answered by Saki Pathak 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're too small to be seen from Earth, you have go to the moon.
2006-08-25 12:13:21 · answer #9 · answered by Corbett 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Too dark prolly, try in daylight when you can see better.
2006-08-25 10:17:41 · answer #10 · answered by kristycordeaux 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋