VENUS - THE PLEASANT PARTNER

History & Naming:

Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is named for the ancient Roman goddess of love and beauty. The planet — the only planet named after a female — may have been named for the most beautiful deity of her pantheon because it shone the brightest of the five planets known to ancient astronomers.

In ancient times, Venus was once thought to be two different stars, the evening star and the morning star — that is, the ones that first appeared at sunset and sunrise. In Latin, they were respectively known as Vesper and Lucifer. In Christian times, Lucifer, or "light-bringer," became known as the name of Satan before his fall. Venus, the Roman deity of love, is a goddess. The goddess of love, beauty, and fertility is the only deity in Roman Mythology named Venus.

Venus, the planet in the solar system with Earth, is the only planet in this system named after a goddess instead of a god. Since the planet is very bright and easily visible, it has played a central part in the history of human culture since prehistoric times, unlike some of the less visible planets that we know today. The rationale for the feminine naming is speculated to be based on prehistoric cultural concepts about the planet.

The first recorded name for the planet was found in Babylonian texts from around 1600 BC. The Babylonians called the planet a feminine name, Ishtar. Ishtar was the name of their culture's personification of womanhood, their mythological goddess of fertility, sex, love, and war.
The name Ishtar was given to the planet Venus based on these prehistoric oral traditions, but it is not known why those original cultures referred to that particular planet by the feminine name associated with love and fertility.
When the Romans named the planet Venus, they followed this convention, and named the planet after their mythological goddess of love, fertility, and beauty. The Greeks also named the planet after their goddess of love, Aphrodite.

Venus, named for the roman goddess of love, is often referred to as Earth's Twin or Earth's Sister. But, Venus does not bare much of a visual resemblance to Earth, so why is it called Earth's sister?

From a strictly physical perspective Venus is roughly the same size, density and composition as our planet. It orbits at a similar distance from our Sun, and at its creation would have appeared nearly indistinguishable from Earth. As the two planets evolved over time however, they became vastly different. Ultimately, Earth's sister was molded into a desolate and unforgiving world.

Venus is easy to see with the unaided eye. In fact, it’s the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, so it’s safe to say that humans have been aware of Venus since people have looked to the skies. In fact, there are 5 planets visible with the unaided eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. It’s actually impossible to say who discovered Venus, since the planet has been known since before recorded history. Humans have been on Earth for 200,000 years, so maybe that’s how long we’ve known about the planet.

But ancient astronomers didn’t really know what Venus was. They knew it was an object that moved in the sky from night to night, sometimes being obscured by the glare of the Sun. But it wasn’t until Copernicus developed his model of the Solar System that placed the Sun at the center, and the planets orbiting it. At that point, both Venus and Earth were recognized to be planets.

Basic Astrological facts about Venus:

The Venus is of feminine gender, karaka or significator of potency and desire, as relationship significator it denotes the spouse, as body part significator it governs the pelvis and reproductive organs. As per planetary cabinet it have the status of minister or advisor, its temperament is easy going and accommodating, its element is jala or water, its primary quality or guna is rajo guna or imperious and passionate, by caste it is brahmin or priest and its nature is benefic.

It is the ruler of zodiacal sign of Taurus and Libra and astrological second and seventh houses, its exaltation sign is Pisces, debilitation sign is Virgo and determent sign is Aries. It get directional strength in fourth house (north) and directional weakness in tenth house (south).  

As per planetary relationship its friends are Mercury and Saturn, it is neutral with Mars and Jupiter and its enemies are Sun and Moon. Nakshatras or Lunar mansions governed by Venus are Bharani, Purva Phalguni, and Purva Ashadha. Its period as per Vimshottari Dasa is of twenty years. It rules southeast direction and Friday among the days of the week. It governs vasant or spring season and in metals platinum and silver. Its gemstone is diamond and substitute gemstone is white sapphire and white and variegated colors are ruled by it. In food and flavors it governs things of sour taste. It represents the geometrical shape of a octagon. 

Positive key words for Venus are harmony, devotion, refinement, affection, and responsiveness. Negative key words for Venus are laziness, indifference, self-indulgence, superficial, and flirtatious. As per Numerology numbers 6, 15, 24, 33 and all those that adds up to six, are governed by it.
  

Basic Astronomical facts about Venus:

Venus is the second farthest planet from the Sun. It is the brightest thing in the sky besides the Sun and Moon. As seen from the Earth, Venus never gets more than 48 degrees away from the Sun. It has a diameter of about 12,100 kilometers. It is closest planet to Earth and its minimum distance from the Earth is from about 40 million kilometers. From Sun its distance is 108 million kilometers. Venus takes 225 days to make one orbit around the Sun and it takes 243 days to complete one rotation on its axis. Its average surface temperature is 452 °C and that makes it the hottest planet. Its average geocentric motion per day is 01°12'. Venus has no natural satellite of its own. Venus retrograde period is about 40 to 43 days and it gets and it retrograde approximately every nineteen months.
 
GENERAL INFORMATION:

Venus is the second planet from the sun. This planet is called the "twin" planet of Earth because they are so similar in size. It's diameter is about 7,520 miles (12,100kilometer), compared to the 7,926 mile (12,756 km) diameter of Earth, not that much smaller than Earth. Venus was named after the Roman goddess of love (the Greeks called her Aphrodite). Venus orbits in a nearly circular orbit around the sun. The distance from the sun varies from 67.7 million miles (108.9 million km) to about 66.8 million miles (107.5 million km). The average distance is about 67.2 million miles (108.2 million km) from the sun.

EARTH'S--- UH, TWIN:  

Venus has always been thought of to be Earth's "twin." This was before spacecraftswere sent to study Venus up close. Speculations on Venus' conditions were just guesses because of the heavy cloud cover of Venus. The speculations ranged from Venus being covered with oceans of carbonated water, to swamplands. Then the international scientific teams came along with expensive instruments, measuring the ultraviolet and radio waves from Venus. Radar was then used to determine the rotation of Venus. It was then found that Venus was not the "twin" that it was thought to be. Despite the swift moving clouds of Venus that go about 250 miles-per-hour, the planet rotates once every 243 days. Conditions on Venus are very different; it seems pretty hellish; the opposite of Earth. The surface temperature is about 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celcius). The clouds are made of sulfuric acid and the air is mainly composed of carbon dioxide, some nitrogen, and water vapor. The atmospheric pressure is 90 times greater than on Earth, at an estimated 1,323 pounds per square inch (9,122 kilopascals).

Location  

At nearly 108,209,000 kilometers, Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and is Earth's nearest neighbor (besides our Moon). In fact, Venus is so close, and so bright (due to the Sun's reflection off its atmosphere), that it is the only object besides our Moon that can be seen from Earth during the evening and during the day!

Rotation

Venus takes 225 Earth days to complete one orbit of the Sun. And like the other planets in our solar system, Venus rotates about its axis. However, Venus is the only planet that rotates from east to west instead of west to east. This means, that if we lived on Venus, the Sun would appear to rise in the west in the morning, and set in the east in the evening! Even stranger, Venus rotates so slowly that one day on Venus is equivalent to 117 days on Earth.

Size

At approximately 4.9 x 10²⁴ kilograms, Venus is also nearly as massive as Earth. As a result, the gravity on Venus (8.87 m/s2) is nearly the same as it is on Earth (9.81 m/s2). Additionally, scientists conclude that the structure of the planet's interior is similar to Earth's, with an iron core and a rocky mantel.

The Venusian Surface

Venus is one of the terrestrial planets -- those with solid, rocky surfaces inhabiting the inner part of our solar system.

The surface of Venus is a very desolate, barren place. Nonetheless, efforts were made to study the planet by several Soviet Venera spacecraft. These spacecraft were able to take pictures, as well as sample rocks and take other various measurements.

The rocky surface of Venus appears to have been created through volcanic activity, and is comprised of low, rolling plains. While the highest elevations of Venus rival those of Earth, these features are less abundant. In fact, the elevated areas, similar to continents here on Earth, only comprise about 8% of the total surface area, compared to 25% of the surface area on Earth.

There is also a lack of small impact craters, like those seen on the other terrestrial planets. This is due to the thickness of the Venusian atmosphere which prevents all but the largest meteors from reaching the surface.

The Venusian Atmosphere

By now you may be asking yourself "what's the catch?" After all, you have undoubtedly heard about NASA's plan to send a man to Mars, and how someday we could actually create a colony on that planet. What about Venus? It is closer to us than Mars, more similar in size, and has similar gravity!

The answer to this question lies in Venus' atmosphere. The Venusian atmosphere is very different than the atmosphere on Earth, and would have devastating effects on humans if we attempted to live there.

The Venusian atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide (~96.5%), while only containing about 3.5% nitrogen. This is in stark contrast to the Earths atmosphere, which contains primarily nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). Clearly, we would not be able to breath the air on Venus. Moreover, the effect the atmosphere has on the rest of the planet is dramatic.

Global Warming on Venus

A great cause for concern on Earth is global warming, specifically the emission of "greenhouse gases" into our atmosphere. As these gases accumulate in our atmosphere, they trap heat near the surface, causing our planet to heat up. Because Venus has such a dense atmosphere, this same effect has occurred, though to a much higher degree. Global warming on Venus has caused the surface temperature to rise to nearly 900⁰ F, enough to melt lead.

Living Conditions on Venus

As destructive as the surface temperature of Venus is, just as troubling is the immense pressure you would feel standing on the surface. The weight of the atmosphere is 90 times greater than that on earth -- the same pressure we would feel if submerged under 3,000 feet of water. This pressure is so high, that when the Venera spacecrafts landed, they only had a few moments to take data before they were crushed and melted. Ultimately, Venus appears as a visual beauty in the night sky, but it will have to be admired form afar. As the heat and pressure that characterize the surface of the planet make it unfit for life.

OBSERVATIONS OF VENUS

Venus comes the closest to the Earth at only 25.7 million miles (41.4 million km) away from Earth. Due to the short distance, Venus can be seen on Earth in the night or early morning sky, depending on the time of the year. When visible, Venus is the brightest astronomical body in the sky. Sometimes it is the first planet or star seen in the western evening sky. Other times, it is the last planet or star seen in the eastern sky in the morning. Venus can also be seen in broad daylight when it is near its brightest point. Ancient Greek astronomers called the Venus that appeared in the morning Phosphorus, and the one that appeared at night, Hesperus. Later, they found out they were the same planet. Galileo discovered Venus also had phases like the moon. Phases are caused by the varying ability of the observers on Earth to see the side of Venus that illuminated by the sun. Depending on the varying line of sight from the Earth to Venus, sometimes you can see all of Venus, half a circle, crescent, a sliver or none of Venus.

OBSERVATIONS BY SPACECRAFT AND PROBES

Since the early astronomers, international scientific teams and unmanned spacecrafthave undertaken the study of Venus with expensive instruments. The first spacecraft to study Venus up close was the U.S. Mariner 2. It flew by the planet on Dec. 14, 1962 after traveling for 3 1/2 months and measured various conditions on and near Venus. Later, two unmanned Soviet spacecrafts, Venera 2 and Venera 3 did similar exploration, a flyby and a not so similar crash-into (Venera 3). Then came a series of spacecraft from both the Soviet Union and the U.S.A.. The Soviet Venera 4 capsule was parachuted down into the atmosphere of Venus on Oct. 18, 1967. The next day the U.S. Mariner 5 passed within 2,480 miles of Venus. A few years later, the Venera 7 landed on Venus on Dec. 15, 1970, and the Venera 9 and Venera 10, also followed and landed on Venus. The U.S., in December 1978 sent the crafts Pioneer Venus 1 to orbit the planet and Pioneer Venus 2, which entered Venus atmosphere. More Soviet Venera crafts, the 11 and 12 also landed on Venus in December 1978, and the 13 and 14 in March. In 1990, many years later the U.S. spacecraft, the Magellan, began orbiting Venus on Aug. 10. Magellan was equipped with modern instruments that provided radar images detailed enough to make maps.

The Venus in Hindu Mythology  

Venus is the guru of the demons, he can raise the dead, with the help of the Sanjivini Vidya, who fall in battles with the gods. He is immensely astute, and, a true Brahmana, he is an expert in every form of learning. Venus has a medium-sized well-nourished body, long hands, prominent shouldets, a broad chest, and dark, short, curly hair. Overflowing with virility, he is intelligent, handsome, and sensuous. Venus is the son of the Rishi Bhrigu and his wife Puloma. Bhrigu Rishi was, like Angiras Rishi, (father of Jupiter) born directly from Brahma's semen, which means that Venus and Jupiter, two implacable adversaries, are first cousins. One day, when Bhrigu was absorbed in deep meditation, Venus was near him and was appreciating the beauty of the nature, at that time the beautiful Apsaras Vishvachi was passing by, seeing her boy's heart with delight and he followed her to heaven. They fell in love at first sight of each other, and to fulfill his desire Venus created a hut in a small corner of heaven. Then they indulged in lovemaking of the many ages. When Venus's good karmas had finally been used up, he fell from heaven down to the Moon, where his soul reached the earth through rain that fell on a rice paddy. Entering the semen of a Brahmana who ate that rice, and then entering the womb of that Brahmana's wife via his semen, Venus was reborn in that Brahmana family. He then led an austere life on Mount Meru for long, until his path again crossed that of Vishvachi, who had been cursed to live as a female deer. He fell in love with the deer and mated with her; the result was a human child. The Brahmana who had been Venus died of snake bite not long after, and then, reborn as prince of Madra, ruled that country for many years. Afterwards he took many other births, including one as a bamboo forest and another as a python, until at last he was born as the son of a Seer living on the banks of the river. His original body, meanwhile, had long ago dropped to the earth. After many thousand years, Bhrigu opened his eyes to find not his living son but a worn-out body lying nearby. In his fury over his son's death, he was about to curse Yama, the god of death, when Yama appeared before him and asked him not to curse him, because his son fell into this state because of his own actions and he is now performing penance on the banks of the river Ganga. Yama then revived the body of Venus; Bhrigu thereupon told the boy his past lives and showed him the road to spiritual success. Venus set out to gain the favor of Lord Shiva and after worshipping him for five thousand years Lord Shiva appeared and blessed Venus and taught him the Sanjivini Vidya. In addition, Shiva named Venus the best of the planets and told him that his rise in the sky would inaugurate the performance of all auspicious rituals. It is for this reason that marriages are performed only when Venus is rising in the sky. Venus himself has enjoyed several wives and has been blessed with daughters and sons. 

BODY PARTS, FUNCTION  

Ruling over Taurus and Libra, Venus helps regulate the throat, thyroid and kidneys. Venus rules vitamin E, Niacin and Copper. Venus also has dominion over half the circulatory system, the venous supply and it is concerned with skin.

DISEASES GOVERNED VENUS: 

Venus play a part in diseases of the blood. Venus is also valuable in circulatory ailments, such as phlebitis, embolisms, thrombosis and dilation of the vessels of the arterial and venous systems and it keeps the body supplied with a pure source of oxygen. Venus also governs slack muscle tone in the body. Mars represents tight, healthy muscles, whereas Venus, its opposite, indicates a potential lack of tone or tightness, soft or weakened muscles. All the disease related to throats and neck like vocal cords, tonsillitis, diphtheria, laryngitis, swelling in the neck, mumps, and thrush or fungus infection of the mouth or throat. It governs thyroid related problems, various diseases of the kidney, as well as skin ailments, Sugar or diabetes, urine and semen related problems. There can be a tendency to overeat or eat rich foods, with afflicted Venus that put on weight and edema of the hands and feet or an inability to lose weight.

PROFESSIONS GOVERNED BY VENUS:


Venus governs all professions and career related to art, entertainment, beauty products, luxury, and costly, items, food items especially sweets. Venus denotes all those related to acting, drama, film industry, music, dance, singing, instrumental music, drawings, painting, sculpture, photography, ornamenting, perfumery, art, decoration, jewelers, precious stones, luxury items, income-tax, revenue, finance department, bank officials, judge, wool dealer, barbers, hair stylists, wig maker, tailor, dressmaker, women's apparel, fancy goods dealers, hotels, restaurants, bakery, cooks, butlers, bars, dealers in dairy farms, ice cream, sugar, milk, confectionary, paints, dyes, acids, petrol, oils, fertilizer, glass, plastic, perfumeries, soap, marriage broker, registrar of marriages, tannery, hide, yarn, leather goods, tobacco, veterinary doctors, chemical and drugs manufacturers and dealers of automobiles and vehicles.

Venus : Shukra

Venus relates to : Marriage, Happiness in Marriage, Arts, Material gains and inclinations, Good mediators, Rules : Throat,Eyes,all illness due to over eating. Debilitated Venus in Water Sign in the 12 th house gives alcohol addiction creates doubts in the Character, creates Skin disease. If Sun, Mars & Venus are debilitated the during childbirth is with Surgical assistance. Conjunction of Venus-Mars relates to Love affair. Debilitated Venus causes Leprosy etc.
  

Plants and Herbs 

- Herbs like Daisy, alkanet, dog rose, elderberry, feverfew, lady mantle, mother wort, pennyroyal, plantain, tansy, thyme,uvaursi, vervain, violet, periwinkle, yarrow. 

- Shrubs like alder, camelia, ephedra, fuchsia, raspberry. 

- Trees like birch tree, guaiacum, peach tree, sycamore, mango tree, neem tree., cherry.

Characteristics
It rules over desires that incite us to learn. Mars causes the falls and Venus helps to recover from falling. A native with strong Venus personify noble qualities. When associated with sun, it gives political power, with moon it  gives all form of fine arts which attracts others or sailing and with Saturn native works hard, sincerely and with single aim to achieve success in any field. Manufacturing or trading of cosmetics or other ornamental items, music or cultural organisers, customs, imports or exports, gems, trade in gold, foeign representatives, navy,  railways etc are few professions related to venus planet.

The Mantras for Venus:

Beej Mantra of Venus:	Om dram dreem droum sah shukraya namah
Venus stotra:	Hima kunda mrinalaabham daityanam paramam gurum sarva shastra pravatkaram bhargavam pranamaamayaham
Gayatri Mantra of Venus:	Om aswadhwajaaya vidmahae dhanur hastaaya dheemahi tanno shukra prachodayaat.

Remedies for Venus which are performed if Venus is not well placed in the horoscope:

1.    Worshiping the ruling deity of the Venus, Goddess Shakti or Durga.

2.    Recitation of Durga chalisa.

3.    Reciting of Venus Mantras.

4.    Charity: Donate perfumes, fancy items and white sandal wood on Fridays to married females.

5.    Fasting: On Fridays.

6.    Pooja: Santoshi mata pooja.

7.    Rudraksh: Wear six mukhi (six faced) Rudraksh.