Why are there are so few solar transits of Venus across the Sun's face as it revolves in its orbit and passes through inferior conjunction?
A)The orbital plane of Venus is inclined at 3.4° to the ecliptic plane.
B)The synodic period of Venus is very long because of the relative orbits of Earth and Venus.
C)Venus revolves around the Sun in a retrograde direction compared to the other terrestrial planets.
D)Venus rotates on its axis in a retrograde direction compared to the other terrestrial planets.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The orbital plane of Venus is inclined at 3.4° to the ecliptic plane, which means that most times when Venus passes through inferior conjunction it will be either above or below the Sun from our perspective, and not directly in front of it. This is why solar transits of Venus are relatively rare events.

Why Are There Are So Few Solar Transits of Venus