Transit of Venus: Venus Passes Directly Between Sun & Superior Planet

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    Transit Venus
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of the transit of Venus, specifically addressing why Venus is described as passing between the Sun and a superior planet, rather than just between Earth and the Sun. The scope includes conceptual clarifications and historical context regarding the terminology of inferior and superior planets.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that a transit of Venus occurs when Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet, becoming visible against the solar disk.
  • Another participant explains that Earth is considered a superior planet to Venus due to its higher solar orbit, and questions the synonymity of two statements regarding transits as seen from different planets.
  • A participant adds that Venus also makes a transit as seen from Mars, indicating that the definition of superior planets is not limited to Earth.
  • It is mentioned that planets closer to the Sun than Earth (Venus and Mercury) can align to be seen passing across the Sun, while those further away cannot.
  • The original question is reiterated, emphasizing the ability to observe a transit from any planet in a higher orbit around the star.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the terminology and implications of the transit of Venus, with no consensus reached on the clarity of the original question regarding the definition of superior planets and their relation to transits.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes historical references to the terms "inferior" and "superior" planets, which have evolved from their geocentric origins to their current definitions based on orbital positions relative to Earth.

azizlwl
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A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when thplanet"etVenus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet, becoming visible against (and hence obscuring a small portion of) the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun. ..,Wikipedia.

My question is why "Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet" not only passes between Earth and the Sun.
 
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Earth, being in a higher solar orbit, is a superior planet to Venus.

Not sure I understand exactly what your question is. Do you mean 'why are the following two sentences not synonymous'?
Venus makes a transit as seen by a superior planet
and
Venus makes a transit as seen from Earth.

Well, technically, Venus also makes a transit as seen from Mars as well. So they're not exactly synonymous, though they are for our purposes here on Earth.

The meaning of the word is buried in the history of the terms:
Inferior and Superior
These terms were originally used in the geocentric cosmology of Claudius Ptolemy to differentiate as inferior those planets (Mercury and Venus) whose epicycle remained co-linear with the Earth and Sun, and as superior those planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) that did not.[1]

In the 16th century, the terms were modified by Copernicus, who rejected Ptolemy's geocentric model, to distinguish a planet'sorbit's size in relation to the Earth's.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferior_and_superior_planets#History
 
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Planets which are nearer to the Sun than Earth is (Venus and Mercury) can be sometimes aligned so that we see them passing across the Sun.
For planets which are more distant from the Sun than Earth is, this is not possible/
 
azizlwl said:
My question is why "Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet" not only passes between Earth and the Sun.
Because you can see a transit of planet A from any planet B that is in a higher orbit around the star.
 
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