Venus
Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is the second planet from the Sun in our solar system. It is often referred to as Earth's "sister planet" due to their similar size, mass, density, and composition. Here are some detailed facts about Venus:
- Physical Characteristics:
- Venus has a diameter of about 12,104 kilometers, making it slightly smaller than Earth.
- Its mass is 81.5% of Earth's, and its volume is 86.6% of Earth's.
- The planet is covered by a thick, toxic atmosphere, composed mainly of carbon dioxide (96.5%) with clouds of sulfuric acid, which creates a greenhouse effect trapping heat on the planet.
- The surface temperature averages around 460 degrees Celsius (860 degrees Fahrenheit), making it the hottest planet in our solar system.
- Orbit and Rotation:
- Venus orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 108 million kilometers.
- Its orbital period is 225 Earth days.
- One of Venus's most notable features is its retrograde rotation; it rotates on its axis from east to west, opposite to most other planets. A day on Venus (one rotation on its axis) takes longer than its year (243 Earth days vs. 225 Earth days).
- Surface Features:
- Venus's surface is dominated by vast plains with numerous volcanoes, some of which might still be active. The highest mountain, Maat Mons, rises over 8 kilometers above the surrounding plains.
- There are also large impact craters, but fewer than might be expected due to the thick atmosphere which burns up most meteoroids before they can reach the surface.
- Two large highland areas known as Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra are found on Venus, with the latter being roughly the size of South America.
- Atmospheric Phenomena:
- The thick atmosphere causes a significant greenhouse effect, trapping heat and making the surface temperature extremely high.
- The atmosphere also produces a perpetual cloud cover, which makes observing the surface from space challenging.
- Venus experiences the strongest winds in the solar system, with speeds up to 360 km/h in its upper atmosphere.
- Exploration:
- Several missions have been sent to Venus, including the Soviet Union's Venera Program which successfully landed on Venus, sending back the first images of its surface.
- NASA's Magellan Spacecraft mapped 98% of Venus's surface using radar.
- More recent missions include ESA's Venus Express and Japan's Akatsuki, both aimed at studying Venus's atmosphere and surface.
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