Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun and Earth’s nearest planetary neighbour.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun and Earth’s nearest planetary neighbour. It is a rocky terrestrial planet with a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere and thick clouds, making it the hottest planet in the Solar System. Venus is also one of the brightest objects in the sky as seen from Earth.

Physical characteristics

Venus is a terrestrial planet with a rocky surface that includes mountains, volcanoes, craters, and lava plains. It is similar in size and structure to Earth. The planet has no moons and no rings.

Orbit and rotation

Venus orbits the Sun in 225 Earth days and rotates once every 243 Earth days. Its rotation is retrograde, meaning the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east on Venus. The planet rotates very slowly, with a rotation period longer than its orbital period.

Atmosphere and temperature

Venus has a dense atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide, with nitrogen and trace gases. Thick clouds and a strong runaway greenhouse effect trap heat, raising the surface temperature to about 467 °C (872 °F), making Venus the hottest planet in the Solar System, even hotter than Mercury.

Visibility from Earth

Venus is highly reflective and is the third-brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. It is often visible to the naked eye shortly after sunset or before sunrise, and is commonly called the Morning Star or Evening Star, though it is a planet, not a star.