On Saturday, October 25, 2014 11:54:44 AM UTC-7, Quadibloc wrote:

... In eight years, there are five conjunctions between Venus and the Sun from
Earth's viewpoint, so the Earth catches up with Venus in its orbit five times.

Thus, from Earth, Venus is seen to go through its phases five times, while a
stationary observer would see it go through its phases thirteen times (5 + 8).

John Savard

Yes, and this graphic...

http://www.lunarplanner.com/Images/V...et%20Paths.gif

.... represents the path of Venus among the fixed stars over each of those 5 passages, the differences between them having to do with the position of Venus WRT the ecliptic, that is, if Venus is above the Sun or below the Sun or nearly even with the Sun as it arrives at inferior conjunction.

Alas, poor Gerald has no chance to understand, since he cannot visualize perspectives, even if his life depended on it... which, fortunately for Gerald, it doesn't...