Orbit and Rotation
Venus, often referred to as Earth’s twin due to its similar size and mass, has characteristics of orbit and rotation that are distinct within our solar system.
It is the second planet from the sun and exhibits unique behaviors in both its journey around the sun and the way it spins on its axis.
Intriguing Orbit
Venus takes about 224.65 Earth days to complete a full orbit around the sun which defines a Venusian year.
Unlike other planets, its orbit is the closest to a perfect circle with an eccentricity nearing zero.
This near-circular orbit means the distance between Venus and the sun remains fairly constant throughout its year.
At an average distance of about 0.7 astronomical units from the sun, Venus has an orbit that is both faster and closer to the sun than Earth’s.
Unique Rotation
The rotation of Venus on its axis is both slow and retrograde.
A single Venusian day lasts 243 Earth days, which is even longer than a Venusian year.
In a retrograde rotation, Venus spins in the opposite direction to most planets in the solar system.
This means that if one could view the sunrise from the surface of Venus, the sun would appear to rise in the west and set in the east.
Such rotation is unusual and makes Venus the only planet in the solar system to exhibit this behavior, leading to longer periods of daylight and darkness compared to Earth.
Venus’s slow, backward spin causes it to have very long days and nights, and contributes to its extreme temperature differences.
This retrograde motion also results in Venus displaying phases similar to those of the moon when observed from Earth, transitioning between being a morning star and an evening star.
Physical Characteristics
Venus, often regarded as Earth’s closest planetary cousin, presents a stark contrast in terms of its physical characteristics.
It possesses some of the most extreme features found within our Solar System, involving an oppressive atmosphere and a volcanic, broiling landscape.
Atmospheric Conditions
Venus’ atmosphere is thick with clouds of sulfuric acid, making it highly reflective and the third brightest object in the sky seen from Earth.
The surface pressure is over 90 times that of Earth, equivalent to being about 900 meters underwater on Earth.
Predominantly composed of carbon dioxide, the atmosphere creates a runaway greenhouse effect that locks heat in, making Venus the hottest planet with surface temperatures exceeding 470°C.
Geological Features
The surface of Venus is relatively young, with an estimated age of about 300 to 600 million years old, reshaped by extensive volcanic activity. Radar mapping has revealed a landscape dominated by thousands of volcanoes, some dwarfing those found on Earth with their size and number.
Despite being similar to Earth in size and mass, Venus does not rotate on its axis as Earth does; it spins very slowly in the opposite direction, with a day longer than its year.
The planet’s structure includes a core, mantle, and crust, with the latter featuring plains, extensive valleys, and towering mountain ranges.