Venus is a planet that conjures up a lot of images and ideas. The idea of life on Venus or other planets like Mars makes this planet even more fascinating.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Venus is the brightest object at nightime on earth after the Moon. Venus is even visible to the naked eye during daylight hours. Learn more about Venus below!
Venus is named after a Roman goddess
Many may be surprised to know that Venus has a Roman connection. If you ever go to Rome, in present day Italy, then try to appreciate or imagine the connection between this planet and this historical and very important city.
Therefore, Venus was named after the Roman goddess that represents love and beauty. Another interesting fact, Venus is the only planet named after a woman.
In summary, the reason for it being named after a Roman goddess are more to do with its shining intensity. Basically, the brightness of Venus has been noted by past civilizations. For example, it was the Babylonians in 1581 according to past claims, who would call Venus the “bright queen of the sky”.
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One day on Venus is longer than a year on Earth
The difference between the planets is immense. Moreover, when we look at the differences between the laws of science then the differences really take shape.
All in all, scientifically it takes Venus longer to rotate around the sun. Therefore, that means that on the axis of Venus the turn around the sun is much longer than a year on earth just to complete one orbit of the Sun. In summary, that would be 243 Earth days to rotate once around the sun.
Venus has the longest rotation of any planet in the Solar System, so this makes it stand out a lot overall. The reason for this long rotation is from the complex conditions of the thick atmosphere of Venus. The Sun’s gravity slows down against the dense atmosphere of Venus, which is best described as a “tidal force.”
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Venus is the most similar planet to Earth of all the planets in our galaxy
If Earth has a similar planet then it is Venus. Not many may realize the likeness of these two planets. The reasons for the similarities are fairly obvious at first.
For example, the two planets are almost of the same or equal size. Moreover, Venus’ composition and core is mostly the same as Earth’s. To continue on the same path of similarities, the orbit of Venus is very similar to Earth. This similarity is closest to any planet in our solar system.
Lastly, there are other natural characteristics that bring these countries together. For instance, of these two planets, both have fairly newer surfaces. Basically, the history does not go as far back as other landscapes because of change and transformation. Lastly, Venus and Earth have thick atmospheres with clouds.
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Venus is considered the morning and evening star to see
Many planets and stars have a special glow that can be admired from any angle. However, Venus is special because it can be appreciated in the morning and evening.
In the evening, the sun sets and the first star or planet you will notice is Venus. As well, the last thing you will see in the sky before sunrise is Venus. This has caused confusion because many in the past, like the Ancient Egyptians, have thought Venus was perhaps two separate objects or entities.
Lastly, if you look at Venus without a telescope you might think it is a star. However, Venus as a planet reflects the light from the sun thus making it much brighter overall and visible in the early evening, dead of night, and early morning before sunrise.
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Venus is unique because it rotates clockwise unlike any other planet
Venus is different for a variety of reasons. Firstly, Venus has the distinction of being different because of the way it rotates and spins in general.
Venus spins clockwise on its axis and this is a thing that is special. Every other planet in our solar system spins anti-clockwise. Basically, all the other planets, the rotation on the axis, is orbiting the Sun in an anti-clockwise direction.
Venus also orbits the Sun anti-clockwise, but it’s unusual axis rotation is due to being upside down – it was knocked off its upright position The reason for this clockwise motion would be that Venus was stuck by an object and thus spun in a different direction than earth and most other planets.
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Venus is the brightest planet among all the planets in our solar system
Being the brightest among the planets means a lot especially when this means many can appreciate you. Venus has this distinction as being the brightest and most significant thing in the sky along with the moon.
Interesting enough, Venus is not in any way the biggest planet of the solar system, but it is the brightest for earth. In general, Venus’s proximity to Earth means it would be the brightest and most noticeable of the planets. So, next time you look in the sky then look for Venus.
Venus is technically the second-brightest thing you will notice in the nighttime sky.
Venus is very bright due to the thick clouds that reflect a lot of sunlight. Moreover, the reflection of the sun mostly goes into space. If you want to see Venus then the best time is a few hours after sunset or before sunrise.
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Venus is very hot and by far the hottest planet in our solar system
Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system by far and this makes the planet stand out in various ways. For example, on average Venus land temperatures can get up to about 462 °Celsius. Venus is volcanic!
The reason for all this heat is due to the greenhouse effect. This is not a normal greenhouse effect but a very vivid and powerful heating up. For example, this insulation or sun exposure means that on Venus the temperatures at its surface can potentially reach 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius).
Another interesting fact is that Venus is not tilting on its axis. What does this mean? Basically, it means that there is no seasonal change or much variation in temperatures on Venus. Lastly, the very thick atmosphere means that about 97% of carbon dioxide would be able to trap heat. This phenomena means trapped heat and thus a tremendous greenhouse effect.
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Venus was thought to be a tropical paradise until more research happened
At one time, before a lot of research was done, Venus was thought to be a tropical paradise. Clearly, a lot of research proved otherwise about the reality of Venus.
Venus was thought to be a tropical paradise because it is closer to the sun. At one time, there were even brochures and promotions to get people to visit Venus on a tropical holiday. Venus’s name was supposed to mean great things as well conjure images of love. The vision and image of Venus was beautiful, but in reality Venus is hot as hell.
In conclusion, being near the sun means only a very hot yearlong summer. The temperatures on Venus are astoundingly hot, sometimes reaching about 800 degrees. And, to make matters more unbearable, Venus’s atmosphere is carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid, so hardly a tropical paradise.
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A pilot mistakenly thought Venus was a plane
One scary incident was when a pilot had mistakenly thought Venus was another plane. Venus is unquestionably bright. The incident could have been worse because the situation was dangerous.
Basically, a sleepy pilot had made the mistake that Venus was a plane. This happened on an Air Canada flight in 2012. Once this happened basically the pilot made an extreme downward descent with the plane. The plane fell around 1,000 feet down, which caused some passengers to suffer injuries. It was reported up to 16 people had been injured with the pilot’s error.
Venus is so bright that some pilots have commented that the steady light of the planet can be mistaken for an oncoming plane.
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The question of life on Mars is a great mystery
The issue of life on Venus is a subject of great and wide interest in astrobiology. There has been no proof of life on Venus, but theories abound. Since the 1960s, it was noted the environment of Mars was too extreme for life.
There is a possibility that there are thermoacidophilic extremophile microorganisms on Venus.But, the extreme nature of this planet means it is still a rare thing to expect. Venus makes people think of beauty in various ways, but life’s still a question to be asked.
