Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is the brightest planet in the solar system. It is sometimes referred to as the sister planet to Earth, because of the similar mass and size. The planet is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. In this article, we will be discussing the characteristics and a few astonishing facts of Venus.
Discovery of Venus
Venus is the brightest planet and is easily noticeable with unaided eyes. Ancient people likely knew about it. One of the earliest Babylonian astronomical documents speaks about Venus. Galileo Galilei was the first person to aim a telescope at Venus in 1600. The first aircraft to visit Venus was NASA’s Mariner 2 in 1962. Most recently, NASA’s Magellan visited Venus and mapped out the surface with the help of radar.
Physical Characteristics
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Due to slow rotation on its axis, it takes 243 Earth days to complete one rotation. The orbit of the planet takes 225 Earth days making a year on Venus shorter than a day.
Read More: Earth’s Magnetic Field
Facts About Venus
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- Billions of years ago, the climate of Venus may have been similar to that of Earth
Scientists assume that Venus once possessed water and oceans. However, due to the high concentration of greenhouse gases, this water may have evaporated, and now the surface terrain is too hot and hostile for living creatures to inhabit.
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- Venus rotates in the opposite direction
Most planets rotate counter-clockwise on their axis while Venus, like Uranus, rotates clockwise. This is known as the retrograde reaction, most likely caused due to the collision of the planet with an asteroid or other objects.
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- The atmospheric pressure of Venus is 92 times stronger than Earth’s
Any asteroids entering the planet will be crushed by the enormous pressure, which is why there are no surface craters on the planet.
If you wish to learn more Physics concepts with the help of interactive video lessons, download BYJU’S – The Learning App.
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