Venus

Venus: The Hottest Planet in the Solar System

Venus, often called Earth's twin due to its similar size and mass, is a world of extremes and mysteries. Despite its beauty in the night sky, Venus is a hostile planet with a thick, toxic atmosphere and surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead.

• Atmosphere: Composed of 96% carbon dioxide, with thick clouds of sulfuric acid, Venus's atmosphere creates a runaway greenhouse effect that traps heat and raises surface temperatures to an average of 462°C (864°F).
• Surface Pressure: The pressure on Venus's surface is over 90 times that of Earth, equivalent to being nearly 1 km underwater.
• Rotation: Venus rotates backwards (retrograde rotation), so 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).

Volcanic and Geologic Activity

Venus is covered with vast plains of volcanic rock, and scientists believe it may still be volcanically active today. Its surface is dotted with thousands of volcanoes, mountains, and large highland regions called terrae. Radar mapping has revealed features such as pancake domes and coronae—unique to Venus.

Exploration and Mysteries

Venus has been explored by numerous spacecraft, including NASA's Magellan and the Soviet Venera landers, which survived only minutes in the harsh conditions. Despite these challenges, Venus remains a key target for future missions seeking to understand planetary evolution and the dangers of runaway climate change.

Venus is a beautiful but deadly world, shrouded in clouds and secrets, offering a glimpse into the possible fate of Earth if greenhouse gases go unchecked.

Its brilliance in the sky has inspired myths and legends for millennia, but beneath its glowing veil lies a cautionary tale for our own planet. Venus is a reminder of the delicate balance required to sustain life and the dramatic consequences when that balance is lost.