Venus: Clouds, Volcanoes, and Mystery
- Nguyen Khoa
- Jun 15
- 2 min read
Can a planet that looks like Earth still be completely uninhabitable?
Introduction
Venus has been called Earth's twin because it is similar in size and shape—but don't be deceived. It's actually the solar system's hottest planet with a thick, toxic atmosphere. Venus fascinates scientists with its extremes and mysteries beneath its yellow clouds.
What is it?
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and nearly as large as Earth. But while they might look alike on the surface, their worlds couldn't be more different. Venus's surface is hot enough to melt lead, with volcanic landscapes and acid clouds. Its atmosphere is so good at retaining heat that it's actually warmer than Mercury, despite being farther from the Sun.
Why Is It Called Venus?
The Romans named Venus after their goddess of beauty and love, making it the only planet named after a female deity. Many surface features on Venus are also named after women—real or mythical.
Venus's Orbit and Rotation
One Venus rotation (a day) lasts around 243 Earth days. Strangely, that is longer than a year on Venus, which lasts only 225 Earth days! More strangely, Venus rotates in the opposite direction most planets rotate—so the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east on Venus. Since Venus is so little tilted, Venus has no real seasons either.
Size, Distance and Appearance
Venus has a diameter of 12,104 km, only slightly smaller than Earth's diameter of 12,756 km. Venus orbits the Sun at a distance of 108 million kilometers (0.72 AU). Venus often appears extremely brilliant in our sky, which led ancient civilizations to think that it was two separate objects: the Morning Star and the Evening Star.
Surface and Land Features
Venus has a volcanic terrain with mountains, valleys, and massive volcanoes. Features consist of pancake domes and complex structures like tesserae—ridges and valleys one above another. A thick yellow cloud of atmosphere surrounds the planet, causing it to be hazy.
Moons, Rings, and Satellites
Venus has neither rings nor moons. It does have a quasi-satellite named Zoozve—a small asteroid that moves in close synchrony with the Sun. It was given this name when a child misread "2002 VE" as "Zoozve" and the name stuck!
Is There Room for Life There?
The surface of Venus is far too warm to support life. However, further up in the atmosphere where it's cooler, there's a remote chance that microbes could exist. Scientists have witnessed strange dark markings within clouds without explanation.
Explore More
Summary
Venus is the solar system's hottest planet and hotter than Mercury.
It rotates backwards and extremely, extremely slowly.
Its surface is volcanic with mountains, domes, and ridges.
It possesses no moons and no rings but does have one asteroid companion, Zoozve.
Venus was named after the Roman goddess of love.
Comments