Terrestrial planet
Venus
The veiled planet
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the hottest planet in the solar system, even hotter than Mercury. A thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect, keeping the surface at about 464 C day and night. Venus is nearly the same size as Earth, which is why it is sometimes called Earth's twin, but its crushing atmosphere, sulfuric acid clouds, and scorching surface make it profoundly different. It spins backwards compared to most planets.
Quick facts
- Distance from Sun
- 108 million km (0.72 AU)
- Diameter
- 12,104 km (0.95x Earth)
- Day length
- 243 Earth days (retrograde)
- Year length
- 225 Earth days
- Moons
- 0
- Avg. temperature
- 464 C (hottest planet)
What's it like there?
The surface of Venus is a dim, orange-lit world under a permanently overcast sky. Air pressure at the surface is about 90 times that of Earth, similar to being 900 meters underwater. The temperature is hot enough to melt lead, and the clouds above are made of sulfuric acid. Because Venus rotates so slowly and backwards, the Sun would rise in the west and a single day-night cycle lasts longer than a Venusian year.
Fun facts
Venus spins backwards: the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
A day on Venus (243 Earth days) is longer than its year (225 Earth days).
Venus is the brightest natural object in our night sky after the Moon.
Surface pressure on Venus is about 90 times greater than on Earth.
Soviet Venera landers survived on the surface for only about an hour before being destroyed.
Exploration history
Venera 7 1970
First spacecraft to land on another planet and transmit data.
Magellan 1990-94
NASA orbiter that mapped 98% of the surface with radar.
Akatsuki 2015+
JAXA orbiter studying the atmosphere and super-rotating winds.
Venus vs Earth
| Property | Earth | Venus |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 12,742 km | 12,104 km |
| Year length | 365 days | 225 days |
| Moons | 1 | 0 |
| Average temperature | 15 C | 464 C |
| Surface pressure | 1 bar | ~92 bar |
Scientific Sources & Provenance
All data is verified against official space agency records (NASA, ESA, and IAU).
- NASA Science / Mission Datahttps://science.nasa.gov/venus/
- NASA Science / Mission Datahttps://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/venusfact.html
- ESA Datahttps://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Venus_Express