VENUS: A detailed guide to the closest planet to the sun

INTRODUCTION

Venus, the second planet from the sun, is the solar system‘s hottest and brightest planet. The hot terrestrial (rocky) planet is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and it is the only planet in the solar system named after a female goddess. Venus, which is similar in structure and size to Earth, is sometimes referred to be Earth’s evil twin. Its dense atmosphere traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect, making it the hottest planet in our solar system, with surface temperatures high enough to melt lead. Under the deep, constant clouds, there are volcanoes and twisted mountains.

PLANET FEATURES

Venus’ facts

Equator circumference: 38,025km
Radius: 6,051km
Average distance from Sun: 108.8 million km/ 0.72 astronomical units (AU)
Surface temperature: 464°C
Surface gravity: 8.87 m/s² or 0.904 g₀
Surface area: 4.6023 X 10⁸Km²or 0.902 Earths
Volume: 9.2843 X 10¹¹ Km³ or 0.857 Earths
Mass: 4.8675 X 10²⁴ Kg or 0.815 Earths
Escape Velocity: 10.36 m/s
Mean density: 5.243 g/cm³
Day length: 243 Earth days
Year length: 225 Earth days
Sunlight travel time: 6 Minutes
Average orbital speed: 78,341 mph (35km/s)
Moons: 0
Planet type: terrestrial
Composition: Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen, Sulphur Dioxide, Argon, Water vapour, Carbon monoxide, Helium and Neon

HISTORY OF DISCOVERY

Venus, which is extraordinarily bright, has been viewed by ancient astronomers from various civilisations since the beginning of time. We don’t know who discovered Venus, but Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei are credited with classifying it as a planet. Galileo made the first accurate observation of Venus in 1610, using a telescope to detect its phases, which are comparable to those of the moon. This discovery supported Copernicus’ concepts that planets orbited the Sun rather than Earth. Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, making it easy to see with the naked eye. However, because Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth, the Sun’s glare outshines it most of the time. It is visible to terrestrial viewers only at particular periods of time.

ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS

Venus, frequently referred to be Earth’s twin due to its similar size and vicinity, has a very different atmosphere than our planet. Venus’ atmosphere is extremely dense, consisting mostly of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and clouds of sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄), making it a very inhospitable environment. This dense atmosphere has a surface pressure more than 90 times that of Earth, equal to being about a kilometre underwater on our planet. The high concentration of carbon dioxide causes a runaway greenhouse effect, trapping heat and resulting in surface temperatures that average roughly 464°C (872°F), higher than Mercury, despite Venus’s distance from the sun. The sulphuric acid clouds are so thick that they reflect almost 75% of the sunlight that reaches Venus, giving it a dazzling, yellowish-white appearance in the sky. Winds in Venus’ upper atmosphere can reach speeds of up to 360 km/h (224 mph), circling the planet in just a few Earth days. However, these winds slow significantly towards the surface, where the environment is stagnant and uncomfortable. Venus’ atmosphere is similarly characterised by lightning and severe heat, as well as the absence of liquid water. Interestingly, Venus has a phenomena known as super-rotation, in which the atmosphere circulates far faster than the planet rotates. Venus has no magnetic field to shield it from solar radiation, which adds to its harsh atmospheric conditions. The dense atmosphere, tremendous pressure, and scorching temperatures make Venus one of the most hostile planets in the solar system, with conditions too harsh for any known life forms to survive.

EXPLORATION OR MISSION TO VENUS

PAST MISSIONS

Despite the tremendous technological hurdles of landing on Venus, several pioneering missions to investigate the planet have been launched.

VENERA SERIES (1961-1984): With its Venera series, the Soviet Union became the first country to send a spacecraft to the Venus. They conducted several successful missions between 1961 and 1984, including flybys of the orbiter landers and ballons.
PIONEER VENUS (1978): USA sent its first mission to Venus in 1978, which included both an orbital and a multiprobe, allowing radar mapping to study aspects of the atmosphere including atmospheric composition and temperature, cloud structure and dynamics, and surface features.
MAGELLAN (1989): Magellan was launched by NASA in 1989, in which the surface of the entire planet was studied with the help of radar imaging. Magellan had studied the topography and geography of the planet in detail during its 4 years span.
AKATSUKI (2010): The objective of the orbital probe sent by Japan Space Agency JSXA in 2010 was to study in detail the atmospheric circulation patterns of Venus’s with the help of infrared camera.

FUTURE MISSIONS

SHUKRAYAAN-1: Conducted by ISRO in late 2024 Shukrayaan-1 will be launched from GSLV Mark II or GSLV Mark III, which will carry a High Resolution Synthetic Aperture R (SAR) and a Ground Penetrating Radar. Which help to uncover the mystery of the hottest planet of our solar system.
VERITAS: Conducted by NASA in 2026 the main objective of this mission is to study Venus’ geology and mapping of surface.
DAVINCI: This also conducted by NASA in 2026, main objective of it is to study Venus’ atmosphere using descent sphere.
EnVision: this is conducted by the ESA in 2030 which main objective is to study Venus’ geology and mapping of surface and as well as the atmosphere of Venus using descent sphere.

POTENTIAL FOR LIFE

Venus, nicknamed Earth’s “sister planet” due to its similar size and composition, has a harsh atmosphere that makes life as we know it unlikely. Its dense atmosphere is primarily made up of carbon dioxide (CO₂), with clouds of sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) forming a runaway greenhouse effect that raises surface temperatures to roughly 464°C (900°F). Most known life forms would be wiped out by this tremendous heat, along with crushing air pressure more than 90 times that of Earth. Furthermore, the lack of liquid water, a necessary component for life, reduces the possibility of supporting life on Venus. Some scientists believe that microbial life could live in the cooler, more temperate parts of Venus’s upper atmosphere, where temperatures and pressures are more Earth-like. However, no direct evidence has been found, therefore this remains theoretical. Overall, Venus’ severe environment make it an unlikely contender for supporting life.

CONCLUSION

Venus, despite its identical size and composition, is the hottest planet in the solar system due to its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere, which traps heat. Its surface is buried by thick sulphuric acid clouds, with temperatures hot enough to melt lead and pressures 90 times higher than Earth’s. Despite these extreme conditions, Venus remains a vital focus for scientists, providing insights into climate change, planetary evolution, and the probable future of Earth, making it an intriguing and important subject of research.

VENUS: Features, Discovery, Atmosphere, Mission, Possibilities of Life!!

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