Page:Astronomy for Everybody.djvu/191

Of all the star-like objects in the heavens the planet Venus is the most brilliant. The sun and moon are the only heavenly bodies outshining it. In a clear and moonless evening it may be seen to cast a shadow. If an observer knows exactly where to look for it, and has a well-focused eye, it can be seen in the daytime when near the meridian, provided that the sun is not in its immediate neighbourhood. When it is east of the sun it may be seen in the west, faintly before sunset and growing continually brighter as the light diminishes. When west of the sun it rises in the morning before the sun, and may then be seen in the east. Under these circumstances it has been called the evening and morning star respectively. The ancients called it Hesperus when an evening star, and Phosphorus when a morning star. It is said that, in the early history of our race, Hesperus and Phosphorus were not known to be the same body.

If Venus is examined with the telescope, even one of low power, it will be seen to exhibit phases like those of the moon. This fact was ascertained by Galileo when he first directed his telescope toward the planet, and afforded him strong evidence of the truth of the Copernican System. In accordance with a custom of the time he published this discovery in the form of an anagram—a