Venus is the 2nd planet from the Sun. And the 6th planet of the solar system in mass and size. The planet is also the closest to Earth. During sunrise and sunset Venus can be seen.
Traits of Venus
Was one of the five planets—along with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—known in ancient times,
and its motions were observed and studied for centuries prior to the invention of advanced astronomical instruments.
Has been called Earth’s twin.
Presents a brilliant yellow-white to a telescope.
Orbits the Sun at a mean distance of 108 million km (67 million miles), which is about 0.7 times Earth’s distance from the Sun.
The rotation of Venus on its axis is unusual in both its direction and its speed.
Rotates in the opposite, or retrograde, direction.
Has the most massive atmosphere of the terrestrial planets, which include Mercury, Earth, and Mars.
The atmospheric pressure at the planet’s surface varies with surface elevation;
at the elevation of the planet’s mean radius it is about 95 bars, or 95 times the atmospheric pressure at Earth’s surface.
Sightly smaller than Earth.
Successful early Venus missions undertaken by the United States involved Mariner 2, Mariner 5 (1967), and Mariner 10 (1974). Each spacecraft made a single close flyby,
providing successively improved scientific data in accord with concurrent advances in spacecraft and instrument technology.
Listen to the sounds of Venus: (Warning: Loud Audio) Download audio
