The Belt of Venus or Venus's Girdle is the Victorian era name for an atmospheric phenomenon seen at sunrise and sunset. Shortly after sunset or shortly before sunrise the observer is completely, or very nearly completely, surrounded by a pinkish glow or antitwilight arch that extends roughly 10°–20° above the horizon. Often the glow is separated from the horizon by a dark layer. The arch's light rose (pink) color is due to backscattering of reddened light from the rising or setting Sun. A very similar effect can be seen during a total eclipse of the Sun. Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... Sunrise over the sea Sunrise, also called sunup in some American English dialects, is the time at which the first part of the Sun appears above the horizon in the east. ... A red sunset panorama Sunset, also called sundown in some American English dialects, is the time at which the Sun disappears below the horizon in the west. ... The Sun is the star at the center of Earths solar system. ... For the 1995 film, see Total Eclipse (film). ...
Venus was known to ancient Babylonians around 1600 BC, and to the Mayan civilization (the Mayans developed a religious calendar based on Venus's motion) and must have been known long before in prehistoric times, given that it is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.
Venus (and also Mercury) is not visible from Earth when it is full, since at that time it is at superior conjunction, rising and setting concomitantly with the Sun and hence lost in the Sun's glare.
Venus is brightest when approximately 25% of its disk is illuminated; this typically occurs 37 days both before (in the evening sky) and after (in the morning sky), its inferior conjunction.
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