* Venus is close to the Sun: This means it reflects a lot of sunlight towards Earth, making it appear very bright.
* Venus has a thick, reflective atmosphere: This atmosphere traps heat and also bounces a lot of sunlight back towards us.
* Venus's orbit: Sometimes Venus is closer to Earth than other times. When it's closer, it appears even brighter.
However, Jupiter can sometimes outshine Venus! This is because Jupiter is much larger than Venus, even though it's further away. When Jupiter is at its closest to Earth, it can be brighter than Venus.
So, the answer is not a simple yes or no. Venus is often the brightest, but it can be outshined by Jupiter at certain points in their orbits.