What phase does Venus exhibit when positioned between Earth and the Sun, contrasting with its appearance at greatest elongation?
Answer
It appears as a thin crescent.
The observed phase of Venus is entirely dependent on its geometry relative to the Sun and Earth, similar to the Moon's phases. When Venus is far out in its orbit, such as near greatest elongation, the side illuminated by the Sun faces nearly fully toward Earth, resulting in a nearly full phase appearance. Conversely, when Venus is between Earth and the Sun (near inferior conjunction), only a small sliver of the sunlit side is visible from our perspective, causing it to display the characteristic shape of a thin crescent. During this time, it might be seen as a faint flash just after sunset or just before sunrise.
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