5.3 Planets of the Solar System: Venus - The Hottest Planet

Known as the "morning star" or the "evening star," Venus is the second closest planet to the sun and is the brightest planet in Earth's night sky. Only the Moon and the Sun are brighter. Venus is often called Earth's sister because of their similarities in size, mass, density, and volume. However, conditions on Venus are anything but familiar or welcoming to humans.

Physical Characteristics of Venus

Venus is one of four terrestrial planets in our solar system, which means that, like Earth, it is a rocky body. In size and mass, it is similar to Earth, and is often described as Earth's "sister" or "twin." The surface of Venus is a dry landscape covered in rocks and, occasionally, large volcanic plateaus. Its surface is a vast volcanic plain, punctuated by great volcanoes and mountains.

The Atmosphere of Venus

The atmosphere of Venus is one of the most extreme features on the planet. Composed almost entirely of carbon dioxide, the atmosphere is incredibly dense and has a pressure 92 times that of Earth. This dense atmosphere traps heat and creates a greenhouse effect, making Venus the hottest planet in the solar system, with an average surface temperature of 467 degrees Celsius.

The atmosphere also contains clouds of sulfuric acid, which reflect sunlight, making Venus the second brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. These clouds also create strong atmospheric pressure - about 92 times the pressure at Earth level. sea ​​on Earth. This is equivalent to the pressure experienced 900 meters below sea level on Earth.

Venus Exploration

Despite the extreme conditions, Venus has been a target of interest for many space missions. The Soviet Union sent the first successful mission to Venus, Venera 7, which landed on the planet's surface in 1970. Since then, several missions have been sent to study this intriguing planet. Most of these missions, however, only lasted a short time on the surface due to the extreme conditions.

The Rotation and Orbit of Venus

Venus has the slowest rotation of any planet in the solar system. It takes 243 Earth days to rotate once on its axis. Interestingly, Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets, including Earth. This is known as retrograde rotation. Furthermore, Venus's orbit around the Sun is the most circular of any planet, with an eccentricity of less than 1%.

In summary, Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is one of the most extreme planets in our solar system. With a dense, hot atmosphere, a slow, retrograde rotation, and a surface covered in volcanoes and mountains, Venus is a fascinating planet that continues to intrigue scientists. Despite its extreme conditions, the exploration of Venus has provided scientists with valuable information about the formation and evolution of the terrestrial planets, including Earth itself.