* Venus is generally brighter than Jupiter. Venus is often the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. It reflects a lot of sunlight due to its thick, cloudy atmosphere.
* Brightness fluctuates. Both Venus and Jupiter's brightness vary depending on their distance from both the Sun and Earth.
* Opposition. Jupiter is at its brightest when it's in opposition to the Sun (meaning it's directly opposite the Sun in the sky). During these times, it can appear very bright and may even rival Venus.
So, in most cases, Venus is brighter. But, there are times when Jupiter can be brighter than Venus.
