Abstract
Since time immemorial, humans have stared in wonder at Venus, shining like a brilliant beacon in the star-studded night sky. In pre-telescopic days, observes could not fail to be aware of the planet’s frequent apparitions since, with the exceptions of the Sun and Moon, Venus appears as the brightest object in the heavens. Sixteen times brighter than the brightest star, the planet is a dazzling sight, so bright that, if one knows where to look, it can be seen in broad daylight with the naked eye. In favorable circumstances, the shimmering planet can even cast a noticeable shadow at night.
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© 2007 Praxis Publishing, Ltd.
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Bond, P. (2007). Venus: The Runaway Greenhouse. In: Distant Worlds. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68367-6_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68367-6_3
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-40212-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-68367-6
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