The Gregorian calendar therefore is equal to 365 days 5 hours 49 minutes 12 seconds. Earth's Sidereal year 365.25636 Days Interval for Earth to return to same fixed star. This period is slightly less than five minutes longer than the sidereal year because the position of the perihelion point moves along the Earth's orbit by about 1.1 minutes of arc yearly. During this current epoch, the Earth is closest the Sun just after the new year. It will take about 12,500 years for this date to advance six months.
Planet is observed in retrograde motion five months centered on opposition.
Planet is in retrograde motion 121 days centered on opposition. Only specialized techniques allow for daylight observations. Also visible as silhouette on Sun during transits and during solar totality. When Venus passes well north or south of the Sun, it can become a morning and evening object for a few days. Planet is in retrograde motion 42 days centered on inferior conjunction.