Venus

• The second closest planet to the Sun
• Because of the planet’s cloud cover, little can be seen on the planet
• Its almost circular orbital period around the Sun lasts is 224.7 Earth days
• A Venusian day lasts a whopping 118 Earth days
• And the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east since Venus rotates in the opposite direction to Earth!
• It’s the brightest planet in the Solar System, earning it the nickname of ‘the Morning Star’

The planet:

• Venusian geography is comprised of a huge plain and some highlands and lowlands.
• The highlands cover approximately 27% of the planet, the lowlands 8%, and the plains the rest.  There are two main highland areas known as Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra as well as a third, smaller highland area called Beta Regio where Rhea Mons, Theia Mons, and a shield volcano are found.
• The highest points on Venus, on the eastern side of the Ishtar Terra, are the Maxwell Mountains that were named after the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

The climate:

• The atmosphere consists almost entirely (96%) of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for the incredibly hot, greater than 400ºC conditions on Venus, surpassing the melting point of lead.
• The rest of the atmosphere is comprised of 3% nitrogen, 0.003% water vapour, and small quantities of other gases.
• The atmosphere rises to about 400km above the surface of the planet. The clouds situated around 30 km above the surface are rich in sulfuric acid; during precipitation the acid rain evaporates before hitting the ground.

Factfile:

• The 19th Century astronomer – Franz Von Paula Gruithuisen, believed that inhabitants on the planet were responsible for lighting objects in celebration of the accession of a new emperor
• Until the early 1960s, Venus was believed to possibly be oceanic even though the temperature was enough to make it a vast desert. Finally, in 1962, the Mariner 2 spacecraft passed by Venus and sent back data putting an end to this hopeful theory.
• In 1970, the Soviet Union landed the first spacecraft on the planet’s surface.  Venera 7 sent back information for 23 minutes before losing contact with ground control (most likely due to the temperature).
• in 1975, Venera 9 landed and sent back the first image of the rocky Venusian surface (thereby confirming the high temperatures) and returned atmospheric data.

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Deep Space High: The Galaxy Gala is supported by the Royal Astronomical Society – advancing astronomy

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Find out more at www.ras.org.uk