The Russians sent the first mission to Venus.More than 1,000 volcanoes or volcanic centres larger than 20 km have been found on the surface of Venus. Originally planned to last five hundred Earth days, the mission was extended several times before the craft was deorbited in 2015. In 2006, the Venus Express space craft was sent into orbit around Venus by the European Space Agency. A detailed study of Venus finished in 2015.The dense atmosphere of around 96.5 percent carbon dioxide traps heat and causes a greenhouse effect. The average surface temperature is 462 ☌, and because Venus does not tilt on its axis, there is no seasonal variation. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system.
Mayan astronomers made detailed observations of Venus as early as 650 AD. When Venus’ orbit around the Sun overtakes Earth’s orbit, it changes from being visible after sunset to being visible before sunrise. These were called Phosphorus and Hesperus by the Greeks, and Lucifer and Vesper by the Romans. Venus is also known as the Morning Star and the Evening Star.Įarly civilisations thought Venus was two different bodies.It is possible this is due to the Earth’s gravational influence. The same side of Venus always faces the Earth when at their closest.Both also have a central core, a molten mantle and a crust. The Earth and Venus are very similar in size with only a 638 km difference in diameter and Venus having 81.5% of the Earth’s mass. Venus is often called the Earth’s sister planet.The pressure felt on Venus’ surface is equivalent to that deep beneath the sea on Earth. Atmospheric pressure on Venus is 92 times greater than the Earth’s.ĭue to this crushing small asteroids when they enter its atmosphere Venus has not small craters.With a magnitude of between -3.8 to -4.6 Venus is so bright it can be seen during daytime on a clear day. Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky.One possible reason for this might be a collision with an asteroid or other object. This means that Venus is rotating in the opposite direction to the Sun, this is also known as a retrograde rotation. Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets.The planet’s orbit around the Sun takes 225 Earth days, compared to the Earth’s 365. A day on the surface of Venus (solar day) takes 117 Earth days. It takes 243 Earth days to rotate once on its axis (sidereal day). A day on Venus lasts longer than a year.The surface temperature on Venus can reach 471 ☌.A day on the surface of Venus (solar day) would appear to take 117 Earth days.Venus is thought to be made up of a central iron core, rocky mantle and silicate crust.Venus is nearly as big as the Earth with a diameter of 12,104 km.Venus does not have any moons or rings.