Myths about Venus

There are several interesting myths associated with the planet Venus. While Venus was the goddess of beauty to the Romans, Venus was the god of warfare to the Mayans. A volcano on Venus is also named after a Norse god!
Maya astronomers had a remarkably accurate knowledge of the apparent motion of <a href="/venus/venus.html">Venus</a>. They knew on what day Venus would appear again in the east after it had disappeared in the west. Venus, the morning star, was the patron planet of warfare.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Windows to the Universe</em></small></p>

Explore Myths about Venus

Roman: Venus

Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. To her perfect figure and pure features she added ...Read more

Aztec: Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was an Aztec god whose symbols were the planet Venus and the feathered ...Read more

Maya: Kukulcan

The ancient Mayans used the doorways and windows of their buildings as astronomical sightings, ...Read more

Norse: Sif

In Norse mythology, Sif was the wife of Thor, the mighty god of thunder. Sif was a very loyal ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Roman: Mercury

Mercury was the messenger-god of Jupiter, and was the god of games, of business, and of story ...Read more

Roman: Mercury and the Birth of Bacchus

Mercury was popular among the gods because he was playful, innocent, and helpful. Mercury ...Read more

Hindu: Mangala

In Hindu mythology, the planet Mars is known as Mangala. The planet of Mars is identified ...Read more

Maya: Mars

Mayans were sophisticated observers of the sky. Mayans used their astronomical knowledge to ...Read more

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that the number of spots on the Sun's surface changes over a cycle of about 11 years?

Do you know what the Greek goddess, Persephone, has to do with the seasons and the underworld?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Turbidites
xTurbidites : Turbidites are sea-bottom deposits formed by massive slope failures where rivers have deposited large deltas.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Mysterious Clouds Produced by Aircraft

Without meaning to, airplanes can cause certain types of clouds to produce snow or rain. When the aircraft climb or descend through mid-level clouds, if the atmospheric conditions are right then the planes...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA