The second planet of the Solar System, and the brightest object in the sky next to the sun and the moon. Explorations of the planet shows that it has uneven surface which is very dry. It is considered as one of the seven sacred planets of the ancients.

Theosophically, Venus is said to be in its seventh round (see ROUND; CHAIN, PLANETARY), thus belonging to a more advanced chain of globes in the Solar System. It is said to have adopted the Earth as a sister planet.

Venus has played prominent roles in mythology, religion and esotericism. In the Greek mythology, it is Eosphoros (or Phosphoros) as the morning star, and Hesperos as the evening star. Eosphoros became the Lucifer of the Latins. It is Sukra (or Usanas-Sukra) of Hindu myth.

In the Old Testament, a passage in Isaiah 14:12 “hêylêl ben bôqer” which means “shining star, son of the morning,” and which refers to Venus, was translated as “Phosphorus” in the Greek Septuagint, and then was translated as “Lucifer” in the Latin Vulgate, thus identifying Venus with Lucifer.

In mythology, Venus is the Roman goddess of beauty, equivalent to Aphrodite of the Greeks. With Mercury, she gave birth to Cupid. In astrological symbolism, Venus represents emotions, and governs Taurus and Libra.

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