Observations and explorations of Venus

Venus in real colors, processed from clear and blue filtered Mariner 10 images.
A photograph of the night sky taken from the seashore. Many glimmers of sunlight is on the horizon. There are many stars visible. Venus is at the center, much brighter than any of the stars, and its light can be seen reflected in the ocean.
Venus is always brighter than the brightest stars outside the Solar System, as can be seen here over the Pacific Ocean
Phases of Venus and evolution of its apparent diameter

Observations of the planet Venus include those in antiquity, telescopic observations, and from visiting spacecraft. Spacecraft have performed various flybys, orbits, and landings on Venus, including balloon probes that floated in the atmosphere of Venus. Study of the planet is aided by its relatively close proximity to the Earth, compared to other planets, but the surface of Venus is obscured by an atmosphere opaque to visible light.