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Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the hottest planet in our solar system. It is close to Earth in size and rocky structure, but its crushing atmosphere and extreme heat make its surface a very different place. Here are 10 facts that explain what makes Venus unusual.
Venus’s size and surface make a surprising contrast
1. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system
Although Mercury is closer to the Sun, Venus is hotter. Its thick atmosphere traps heat in a powerful greenhouse effect. NASA gives Venus’s approximate surface temperature as 467 °C (872 °F), hot enough to melt lead. NASA Science’s Venus facts describes the temperature and greenhouse effect.
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2. Venus is similar to Earth in size and structure
Venus is a rocky planet with a size and structure similar to Earth’s, which is why it is sometimes called Earth’s twin. The comparison stops at the surface: Venus is far hotter, its air is dominated by carbon dioxide, and its surface pressure is immense. NASA’s Venus overview explains the similarities and differences.
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3. Its surface pressure is about 93 times Earth’s
NASA compares the pressure at Venus’s surface to about 93 times the pressure at Earth’s sea level. That is an atmosphere dense enough to crush many objects and make the surface hostile to landers. NASA Science’s facts page gives this comparison.
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Venus’s atmosphere shapes its extreme environment
4. The atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide
Near the surface, Venus’s atmosphere is about 96.5% carbon dioxide and 3.5% nitrogen by volume, according to the NASA NSSDC Venus fact sheet. The thick atmosphere helps trap heat, while the clouds above it contain sulfuric acid, as NASA notes in its Venus facts.
5. Radar reveals a volcanic landscape beneath the clouds
Venus’s persistent clouds block ordinary visible-light views of much of its surface. NASA’s Magellan spacecraft used radar to map the planet, revealing mountains and volcanoes. These observations show a volcanic landscape; they do not, by themselves, establish that a particular volcano is erupting now. Learn more in NASA’s overview of Venus and NASA Space Place’s Venus guide.
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Venus’s day and year do not work like Earth’s
6. A Venus rotation takes longer than its year
Venus takes about 243.69 Earth days to complete one rotation relative to the distant stars, a measure called its sidereal rotation period. It completes one orbit around the Sun in about 224.7 Earth days. The rotation figure and orbital period are listed by the NASA NSSDC fact sheet.
7. A Venus solar day is shorter than its rotation period
A solar day—the time from one sunrise to the next—lasts about 116.75 Earth days on Venus. That is shorter than its sidereal rotation period because Venus rotates in the opposite direction from most planets. As a result, the Sun appears to rise in the west and set in the east. NASA NSSDC lists the solar-day length, and NASA Science describes Venus’s unusual rotation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Venus has no moon, but it does have visible phases
8. Venus has no natural moon
Venus has no natural satellite. The asteroid Zoozve is a quasi-satellite: it orbits the Sun while remaining near Venus, rather than orbiting Venus like a moon. NASA explains the distinction on its Venus facts page.
9. Venus goes through phases as seen from Earth
Through binoculars or a telescope, Venus can appear as a crescent, half-lit disk, or fuller disk, much like the Moon’s changing phases. Galileo’s observations of Venus’s phases provided important evidence for the heliocentric model, in which planets orbit the Sun. NASA Science describes both the phases and their historical significance.
10. Its bright appearance hides a very different world
Venus can look like a brilliant point of light in Earth’s sky, but that familiar glow does not reveal its surface. Its clouds obscure the terrain in visible light; spacecraft radar has been needed to map the mountains and volcanic features below. NASA’s Space Place guide introduces Venus for younger readers, while NASA Science covers the planet’s surface and exploration.
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