Venus Reaches Maximum Brightness on September 13 and November 30, 2026

Venus will attain its maximum apparent brightness twice in 2026, on 2026-09-13 and 2026-11-30. The planet’s brightness varies because it orbits closer to the Sun than Earth, so its apparent size and visible phase change more dramatically than those of outer planets. Observers on Earth will notice these changes as Venus moves relative to our line of sight, altering how much of its illuminated disk we can see.