Venus and the Grand Quintile

Evening and Morning Star When Venus is on the left side of

the diagram between positions 3 and 5, she appears as an evening star.

When it is on the right side between positions 6 and 2, she is a morning star.

Positions 4 and 7 mark the furthest Venus will get from the Sun as observed from Earth

Between positions 5 and 6 on the near side of her orbit, or 2 and 3 on the far side, she is too near the sun to be seen.

Visibility as an evening or morning star each average about 263 days

Crossing the sun's face (conjunct) takes about 8 days

Passing behind the sun (opposition) takes about 50 days

Or 584 days (1.6 years) for one synodic cycle

The Grand Quintile

Easiest if we select either Venus' eastward (#4) or westward (#7) elongation from the Sun.

Plot this point against the zodiac over five consecutive synodic periods

Each sighting will be 215º from the previous one

Taking approximately eight(5 x 1.6) years to complete the pentagram.

Giving Wiccans two of their sacred numbers

5 for the Lady

8 for the cycle of the seasons

Two amusing factoids:

If you set your origin point at the top of the pentagram, she'll draw an invoking Earth pentagram against the sky

216º is roughly 7 zodiac signs (In fairness, the 3/7 pair come from the directions, not Venus)