There’s a lot of it Interesting facts about Venusthe planet that is closest to Earth as we know it, and yet it is very different from it, a problem we have already partially seen in this special dedicated to the great myths of the universe.

Because of all the strange properties it has and the halo of mystery that still surrounds our neighbor, we wanted to do a special to share with you ten interesting facts that perfectly define Venus, a unique planet and surprising that we will probably never set foot on it.

Wondering why we say we’ll never step into it? Do not worry, we will answer this question through the data that we will present throughout the article, so don’t miss it.

As always, leave any questions in the comments.

1.- Venus has phases, like the Moon

It is one of the least known curiosities of our neighboring planet. Venus orbits the Sun, but it does so within the orbit that the Earth maintains in its rotation, ultimately creating a bright effect that resembles the phases of the Moon.

Thus, when Venus is on the opposite side of the Sun, we can say that it is in equinox “full phase”while when it is between the Earth and the Sun it is in a “new phase”.

This is important for the very simple reason that Venus is one of the brightest bodies in our solar system after the Sun and the Moon.

2.- Its surface is swept by hurricane winds

We know that Venus is a planet completely hostile to life save what we know as extremophile organisms, and its hurricane winds are a clear example of this.

The wind can reach up to 724 kilometers per hour. To give you an idea, tornadoes that occur on Earth have an average speed of 180 kilometers per hour.

3.- Venus was the most observed planet

Although it is a neighboring planet and is located millions of kilometers from Earth, it is a very bright planet, which allows it to be directly observed without the need for instruments or instruments.

This made Venus the most observed planet in all of history and also one of the most studied, as there are records referencing it from 1,600 BC.

4.- It is the brightest planet

We’ve already mentioned it in previous points, Venus is the brightest planet in our solar system and is second only to the Moon in the night sky, but why?

There are three main reasons for this: proximity to the Earth, size (it is quite large) and albedo, i.e. large the amount of light it can reflect thanks to its atmosphere, which is very rich in CO2.

5.- We can see the transit of the Sun

It is a real rarity because Venus is one of the few planets that we can see from Earth as it transits around the Sun. For the curious, we specify that the other is Mercury.

Unfortunately, it’s not something common, and in fact, since telescopes were invented (16th century), it’s only been seen seven times, and that was the last time. in 2012.

6.- Its surface has extreme pressures

This is another element that makes it an impossible planet for the human race. On its surface the pressure is 90 times greater than on Earth, a direct result of the thick atmosphere that covers the planet.

What does it mean? Well, the pressure we would have to endure would be the same as if we were placed in the sea at a depth of one kilometer. In other words, pressure It would crush us.

7.- Venus is a burning hell

We know that it is not the closest planet to the Sun and yet its surface records the highest temperatures in the entire solar system, even above Mercury, exceeding 470 degrees CelsiusBut how is that possible?

The key is in an atmosphere that is very dense and has a lot of CO2. This CO2 creates an enhanced greenhouse effect that raises temperatures to the level they can be melt lead.

8.- It has things in common with the Earth

Venus is not a twin of our planet, but it must be recognized that it has certain similarities with it. Most importantly, both have nearly identical size, similar composition, and thick, cloudy atmospheres.

However, Venus is absolute hell as we have seen and this atmosphere is absolutely toxic as it presents itself CO2 and sulfuric acid.

9.- Days of the last years

On Venus it is equal to one day 243 Earth daysand yet the Venusian year is equivalent 224 days on earthan interesting fact that can cause confusion but has a simple explanation.

A day is complete when a planet revolves around itself, while a year is complete when it completes one revolution around the Sun. Well, Venus takes longer than the other, which is why a day on Venus is longer than a Venusian year.

10.- It has many volcanoes

Experts assure that Venus has on its surface about 1600 volcanoesalthough they do not rule out that the number is higher, as it is possible that there are some smaller ones that have not yet been identified.

Most are estimated to be asleep, but the possibility that some may still be active cannot be ruled out.

11.- Venus could be habitable, like Earth

The hellish conditions on the surface of Venus are caused by the terrible greenhouse effect that turned our neighboring planet into the burning ball it is today, but scientists believe that 2,000 or 3,000 million years ago it may have been a planet very similar to ours, so much so that even it would have liquid water on its surface.

Its temperature at this stage would be only slightly higher than that of the Earth, and therefore at that time it would be an ideal environment for the emergence of life on its surface. Studies and simulations by NASA and other agencies confirm this theory.

12.- It has no month

Venus is one of the two planets in our solar system that does not have a moon, although in fairness it should be noted that it does orbit one. a quasi-satellite called Zoozvean asteroid that has a different orbit around that planet than we might find in a conventional satellite like the Moon in the case of Earth.

Interestingly, Zoozve was the first quasi-satellite identified on a major planet, a orbits relatively close to our planet, but does not pose a danger because of the distance that exists between them. In addition to the Moon, the Earth also has some of these bodies.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Peter Rubin.

13.- The sky of Venus is yellowish

And that’s because of that high sulfur concentration which is in its atmosphere and literally rains sulfuric acid from it. The first images of the surface of this planet, which we obtained thanks to the probes that the former Soviet Union sent to Venus, allowed us to confirm this.

The atmosphere of Venus is very thick, so it is You can’t see behind the clouds yellowish colors that paint the sky of the said planet, and is so opaque that it does not allow to see the surface from space. To do this, it is necessary to land the probe on the indicated surface.

14.- Part of its atmosphere could harbor life

Yes, we told you that Venus is a real hell, and that hasn’t changed, but its atmosphere is so dense and so variable that an area lying about 50 kilometers high relative to the surface of a planet that could harbor life. In this region of the atmosphere, the temperature varies between 30 and 70 °C, and therefore certain extremophile organisms present on Earth can survive there.

In order for human beings to live on Venus, it would be necessary to carry out a transformation process on this planet, because in its current conditions and with the technology we have, it would be impossible to establish a colony.

15.- It does not have a magnetosphere

Although Venus is very similar in size to Earth and both have a very similar iron core, our neighbor it has no magnetic field of its ownbut it has what is known as an induced magnetic field, a much weaker version that results from the interaction of the Sun’s magnetic field with the outer part of the planet’s atmosphere.

The absence of its own magnetic field may be caused by low rotation speed of this planet, which, as we have told you before, takes longer to revolve around itself than the same revolves around the sun.

Interesting links: MC Specials.

Cover image: NASA/JPL-Caltech.