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&edu=high">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 the perfection of her figure and the purity of ...Read more

Aztec: Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli is an Aztec deity representing the planet Venus and an apparition of ...Read more

Maya: Kukulcan

Maya astronomers had a remarkably accurate knowledge of the apparent motion of Venus. They ...Read more

Norse: Sif

Scandinavian story-tellers spoke little about goddesses, who were rarely the chief characters ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Roman: Mercury

Mercury was the god of eloquence, games of chance, commerce, and story telling, and was the ...Read more

Roman: Mercury and the Birth of Bacchus

Mercury was the prankster of the gods. And yet, in spite of his pranks, he won the affection ...Read more

Hindu: Mangala

In Hindu mythology, the planet Mars is known as Mangala. Hindus believed in the existence ...Read more

Maya: Mars

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

Historical Events

9/28 Edwin Hubble, an American astronomer, died on this date in 1953 Details
9/28 Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, died on this date in 1895 Details
9/29 Friedrich Mohs, a German geologist, died on this date in 1839 Details

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 lights of the aurora come in different colors, depending on the energy of the particles that produce the aurora?

Did you know that many cultures have studied the heavens in the past?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Scree slope
xScree slope : An accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags or mountain cliffs

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Geologists Uncover Major Ancient Human Ancestor in South Africa

Researchers working in South Africa have discovered two remarkably well-preserved fossil skeletons of an ancient human ancestor dating to almost two million years ago. The discovery is described in two...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