There is but one planet, Venus, that always surpasses Jupiter in brilliancy, though Mars on the occasions of its close approaches to the earth may equal or slightly surpass Jupiter in brightness. As Venus never departs more than forty-eight degrees from the sun, and so is never seen in the midnight hours, Jupiter usually shines without a rival when visible at midnight. To one who has observed the two planets together the silvery radiance and surpassing brilliancy of Venus, due not to its size, but to its comparative nearness to the earth, at once serves to distinguish it from the golden glow of Jupiter.