Venus
The hottest planet in our solar system
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the hottest planet in our solar system. Its thick atmosphere traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect, making it hotter than Mercury despite being farther from the Sun. Venus rotates backwards compared to most planets.
Key Facts About Venus
- Diameter: 12,104 km (7,521 miles)
- Distance from Sun: 108.2 million km (67.2 million miles)
- Day length: 243 Earth days
- Year length: 225 Earth days
- Moons: None
- Rings: None
Extreme Heat
Venus has a thick atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide with clouds of sulfuric acid. Surface temperatures reach about 465°C (869°F), hot enough to melt lead. The atmospheric pressure on Venus is 92 times that of Earth.
The Morning Star
Venus is the brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon. It is often called the Morning Star or Evening Star because it is visible near sunrise or sunset. Ancient civilizations believed it was two different objects.