Venus

Venus

Venus rotates around its axis in the opposite direct to the rest of the planets in the Solar System. Due to its backwardness one rotation, a day, is 243 Earth days, 225 days longer than the planet takes to orbit the Sun. So essentially a day on Venus is longer than a year. This moonless, ringless planet is second closest to the Sun with a surface temperature of 465ºC with an acidic atmosphere. NASA’s Akatsuki has been orbiting Venus since 2015 after a missed orbit insertion in 2010.

What is Ashen light?

Trick of the light or naturally occurring phenomenon?
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Dancing planets: How can I see Venus, Saturn and Mars this week?

Take advantage of the clear skies and look out for the three planets as they come into view.
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Earth-like life could exist in the clouds of Jupiter, but Venus’s atmosphere is too toxic

Clouds on the gas giant may contain high enough concentrations of water to support life, study suggests.
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How the upcoming missions to Venus could reveal how life on Earth will end

Paul Byrne, associate professor of Planetary Science at North Carolina State University, explains the importance of the three upcoming missions to our planetary neighbour.
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BepiColombo space probe takes snap of Venus on first flyby en route to Mercury

The spacecraft used the gravitational pull of the planet to help alter its speed and direction.
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Did we find signs of alien life in the clouds of Venus? Here’s what the experts say

The detection of a potential 'biomarker' for life on Venus has sparked hesitation, excitement and hope in scientists.
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Possible signs of alien life detected in Venus’s atmosphere

An international team of astronomers has detected a mysterious molecule which may be the by-product of living cells.
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Venus has at least 37 recently-active volcanoes

It was previously thought that the planet had cooled down too much to show volcanic activity.
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What we'll discover on Earth's toxic twin

Scientists want to return to Venus, so they can try to find out why it morphed from a pleasant planet into a fiery and inhospitable hell hole.
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Could we live on airships in the atmosphere of Venus?

Living in the clouds of Venus’ atmosphere could be possible but, since humans are more used to being land-dwellers, the focus has been more on colonising Mars.
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Is it true that Venus has its own form of rainbow?

Venus has a 'glory' rather than a rainbow. But hey: you say potato...
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Could climate change turn Earth into Venus?

It's getting (not that) hot in here!
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Do all planets have magnetic fields?

On Earth we use the planets magnetic field for navigation, but there may be some planets where you would get lost.
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Could we exist on Earth under a red giant star?

The future’s so bright, we’re all going to die horribly in a stellar inferno...
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Are there rainbows on other planets?

The ingredients required to make a rainbow are sunlight and raindrops. Currently, there is no other planet known to have liquid water on its surface or in sufficient quantities in the atmosphere to make rain.
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Why are Venus and Mars so different to Earth?

The environment of each planet across our solar system is vastly different to Earth.
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