Select Page

astronomyvenus (Venus ** )

Astronomy — The Planet Venus


Venus

  • Distance from the Sun to Venus:  67,000,000 miles
  • Time for one Solar circuit for Venus (in Earth days):  225 days
  • Time for one axial rotation (in Earth days):  243 days (Venus rotates opposite of Earth, or clockwise)
  • Diameter of Venus:  7500 miles
  • Orbital speed:  79,000 miles per hour
  • Average surface temperature:  approximately 1000° F
  • Atmosphere:
    • Carbon dioxide (CO2) mixed with sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
    • The atmospheric pressure is 90 times greater than that on Earth
    • The atmosphere is so dense on Venus that if we could survive its unpleasant composition, intense heat, and high pressure, we could strap wings on our arms and fly
    • Why is there COin the Venusian atmosphere and not in Earth’s?  The temperature was lower on Earth, so our rocks could absorb carbon dioxide to form carbonates.  It was too warm for this process to occur on Venus.
  • Because Venus was so close to the Sun, the water evaporated and oceans couldn’t form.  Without water to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the carbon dioxide increased until a runaway greenhouse effect occurred.
  • There is a 4500 mile-long channel meandering across the plains of Venus’ northern hemisphere.  It is slightly longer than the Nile River and thus the longest known channel in the Solar System.  The channel is 1.3 miles wide at its widest.

Click here to return to the Astronomy index page