All planets in the Solar System revolve around the Sun in a counterclockwise direction when one views them from the celestial sphere’s north pole.
Mercury and Venus are inner planets in the Solar System. They are closer to the Sun than the Earth.
When an inner planet follows the Sun and appears east of the Sun in the evening, it is in eastern elongation. When an inner planet precedes the Sun and appears west of the Sun in the morning, it is in western elongation.
