Size of Venus in km. Planet Venus brief description for children

Average distance to the Sun: 108.2 km

(min. 107.4 max. 109)

Equator diameter: 12,103 km

Average speed of revolution around the Sun: 35.03 km/s

Period of rotation around its axis: 243 days. 00h 14 min

(retrograde)

Period of revolution around the Sun: 224.7 days.

Satellites: None

Volume (Earth = 1): 0.857

Average density: 5.25 g/cm3

Average surface temperature: +470°C

Axle tilt: 177°3"

Orbital inclination relative to the ecliptic: 3°4"

Surface pressure (Earth=1): 90

Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide (96%), nitrogen (3.2%), also contains oxygen and other elements

- the second planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun and the closest planet to Earth. This is the brightest light in the sky (after the Sun and Moon) both at dusk and in the morning.

People have known about the existence of Venus since time immemorial, but for the first time Galileo observed the phases of this planet with the help of a telescope. The first observers through a telescope noted high mountains in their drawings; it seemed to them that the mountains separated the bright part of the planet from the dark. In fact, it was a phenomenon caused by atmospheric turbulence. The fact is that it is impossible to see the protruding parts of the relief of Venus due to the dense and illuminated atmosphere. It is impossible to see details through a telescope; only clouds are within sight. For several centuries, there have been a large number of theories about the surface of Venus. Theories were created in the absence of accurate data about this planet. Some scientists have argued that the planet's environmental conditions are similar to those on Earth. Others, even after receiving information about the temperature regime of the planet, namely that the temperature of Venus is much higher than the Earth’s, considered it possible for a humid tropical jungle to exist on its surface.

Rotation around its own axis

Among all the planets that make up the Solar System, Venus is the only one, with the exception of Uranus, rotating around its axis in the direction from east to west. As a rule, celestial bodies rotate around the Sun in the same direction as around their own axis - from west to east.
Venus is characterized by an unusual combination of directions and periods of rotation and revolution around the Sun. Astronomers called Venus's "irregular" motion "retrograde." The low rotation speed is slightly higher than the speed of revolution around the Sun. The rotation period of Venus is 243 days; to move through a circular orbit around the Sun, Venus takes 225 days.
On Earth, the change of day and night is determined by the rotation of the planet around its axis; on Venus, the period the Sun is above the horizon depends on the duration of its rotation around the Sun.

Surface of Venus

There is a possibility that after the formation of Venus, its surface was covered with a large amount of water. Over time, a process began, as a result of which, on the one hand, the evaporation of the seas occurs, and on the other, the release of carbonic anhydrite, which is part of the rocks, into the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect leads to higher temperatures and increased evaporation of water. Over time, water disappears from the surface of Venus, and most of the carbon anhydrite passes into the atmosphere.

The surface of Venus is a rocky desert, illuminated by yellowish light, with a predominance of orange and brown tones of the relief. On the surface there are undulating plains and occasional mountains. Based on the presence of some depressions, we can conclude that prehistoric oceans existed on the planet.

Interplanetary stations have recorded traces of relatively recent volcanic activity. Secondly, by the nature of the reflection of waves using radar, we can conclude that there are matte areas of the surface; apparently, this is lava that recently emerged from the depths. The planet's dense atmosphere promotes rapid erosion, and iron sulfate actively reflects radar echoes.

The rocks of Venus are similar in composition to terrestrial basalt rocks. The landscape morphology observed on the planet, the craters formed as a result of volcanic eruptions and meteorite bombardment, and various tectonic phenomena indicate a very complex and active geological past.

Continents

Based on the nature of the elevations in the northern hemisphere and south of the equator in relation to the average level of the planet’s surface, scientists have concluded that there are so-called continents there. They were called the Istar Continent and the Aphrodite Continent. The first is an area slightly smaller than the United States of America, where the highest peaks on the planet are located - Mount Maxwell, their height reaches 11 km. The continent of Aphrodite is larger than Africa. There is Mount Maat, an 8 km high volcano from which lava erupted in the recent past.

On this continent there is a complex system of huge canyons of tectonic origin. Their length sometimes reaches hundreds of kilometers, depth 2-4 km, width up to 280 km.

Internal structure of Venus

The structure of Venus, like the Earth, includes a crust, mantle and core. The thickness of the crust is about 20 km, the mantle is a molten substance and extends for 2800 km. The radius of the iron-containing core is approximately 3200 km. In principle, such a core should create a magnetic field, but it is almost not expressed.

Characteristics of the planet:

• Distance from the Sun: 108.2 million km
• Planet diameter: 12,103 km
• Day on the planet: 243 days 14 min*
• Year on the planet: 224.7 days*
• t° on the surface: +470 °C
• Atmosphere: 96% carbon dioxide; 3.2% nitrogen; there is some oxygen
• Satellites: doesn't have

* period of rotation around its own axis (in Earth days)
**period of orbit around the Sun (in Earth days)

Venus is very often called the “sister” of the Earth, since their sizes and masses are very close to each other, but significant differences are observed in their atmosphere and the surface of the planets. After all, if most of the Earth is covered by oceans, then it is simply impossible to see water on Venus.

Presentation: planet Venus

According to scientists, the surface of the planet was once also represented by water, but at a certain moment there was a strong increase in the internal temperature of Venus and all the oceans simply evaporated, and the vapors were carried into space by the solar wind.

Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun, having an orbital shape close to a perfect circle. It is located 108 million kilometers from the Sun. Unlike most planets in the solar system, its movement occurs in the opposite direction, not from west to east, but from east to west. In this case, the rotation of Venus in relation to the Earth occurs in 146 days, and the rotation around its own axis takes place over 243 days.

The radius of Venus is 95% of the Earth's and is equal to 6051.8 km, of which the thickness of the crust is about 16 km, and the silicate shell, called the mantle, is 3300 km. Beneath the mantle is an iron core, which has no magnetic field, and accounts for a quarter of the planet's mass. At the center of the core the density is 14 g/cm 3 .

It became possible to fully study the surface of Venus only with the advent of radar methods, thanks to which large hills were identified, which in size can be compared with the earth’s continents. About 90% of the surface is covered with basaltic lava, which is in a frozen state. A special feature of the planet are numerous craters, the formation of which can be attributed to a time when the density of the atmosphere was much lower. Today, the pressure at the very surface of Venus is about 93 atm, while at the surface the temperature reaches 475 o C, at an altitude of about 60 km it ranges from -125 to -105 o C, and in the region of 90 km it begins again increase to 35-70 o C.

A weak wind blows near the surface of the planet, which becomes very strong as the altitude increases to 50 km and is about 300 meters per second. In the atmosphere of Venus, which extends to an altitude of 250 km, a phenomenon called a thunderstorm is observed, and it occurs twice as often as on Earth. The atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide and only 4% nitrogen. The remaining elements are practically not observed, the oxygen content does not exceed 0.1%, and water vapor is no more than 0.02%.

To the human eye, Venus is clearly visible even without a telescope, especially an hour after sunset and about an hour before sunrise, since the planet's dense atmosphere reflects light well. Using a telescope, you can easily monitor the changes occurring in the visible phase of the disk.

Research using spacecraft has been carried out since the seventies of the last century by different countries, but the first photographs were obtained only in 1975, and in 1982 the first color images were obtained. Difficult conditions on the surface do not allow work to be carried out for more than two hours, but today it is planned to send a Russian station with a probe that can operate for about a month in the near future.

Venus transits the solar disk four times every 250 years, which in the near future is now expected only in December 2117, since the last time the phenomenon was observed was in June 2012.

Venus is the second planet in the solar system, with an orbital period of 224.7 Earth days. She is named after the Roman goddess of love. The planet is one of all that has received the name of a female deity. It is the third brightest object in the sky after the Moon and the Sun. Since Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth, it never moves more than 47.8 degrees away from it. It is best viewed before sunrise or a little after sunset. This fact gave rise to calling it the Evening or Morning Star. Sometimes the planet is called Earth's sister. They are both similar in size, composition and gravity. But the conditions are very different.

The surface of Venus is hidden by thick clouds of sulfuric acid, which makes it difficult to see its surface in visible light. The planet's atmosphere is transparent to radio waves. With their help, the relief of Venus was explored. Disputes continued for a long time about what was under the clouds of the planet. But many secrets have been revealed by planetary science. Venus has the densest atmosphere of all Earth-like planets. It mainly consists of carbon dioxide. This is explained by the fact that there is no life and no carbon cycle here. It is believed that in ancient times the planet became very hot. This caused all the oceans that existed here to evaporate. They left behind a desert landscape with many slab-like rocks. It is believed that due to the weak magnetic field, water vapor was carried into interplanetary space by the solar wind. Scientists have found that even now the atmosphere of Venus is losing oxygen and hydrogen in a ratio of 1:2. Atmospheric pressure is 92 times greater than Earth's. Over the past 22 years, the Magellan Project has been mapping the planet.

The atmosphere of Venus contains a lot of sulfur, and the surface shows signs of volcanic activity. Some scientists claim that this activity continues today. There is no exact evidence of this, because lava flows were not noticed in any of the depressions. The small number of craters suggests that the planet's surface is young: it is approximately 500 million years old. There is also no evidence of plate tectonic movement found here. Due to the lack of water, the planet's lithosphere is very viscous. It is assumed that the planet is gradually losing its high internal temperature.

Basic information

The distance to the Sun is 108 million kilometers. The distance to Earth varies from 40 to 259 million kilometers. The planet's orbit is close to circular. It revolves around the Sun in 224.7 days, and the speed of rotation around the orbit is 35 km per second. The orbital inclination to the ecliptic plane is 3.4 degrees. Venus rotates around its axis from east to west. This direction is opposite to the rotation of most planets. One revolution takes 243.02 Earth days. Accordingly, solar days on the planet are equal to 116.8 Earth days. In relation to the Earth, Venus makes one rotation around its axis in 146 days. The synodic period is exactly 4 times longer and amounts to 584 days. As a result, the planet faces Earth on one side at each inferior conjunction. It is not yet clear whether this is a simple coincidence or the gravitational attraction of Venus and Earth. The dimensions of the planet are close to those of Earth. The radius of Venus is 95% of the radius of the Earth (6051.8 kilometers), the mass is 81.5% of the Earth's (4.87·10 24 kilograms), and the average density is 5.24 g/cm³.

Atmosphere of the planet

The atmosphere was discovered by Lomonosov while the planet was passing across the disk of the Sun in 1761. It mainly consists of nitrogen (4%) and carbon dioxide (96%). Oxygen and water vapor are contained in trace amounts. Also, the atmosphere of Venus contains 105 times more gas than the Earth's atmosphere. The temperature is 475 degrees and the pressure reaches 93 atm. The temperature of Venus exceeds Mercury, which is 2 times closer to the Sun. There is a reason for this - the greenhouse effect, which is created by a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere. At the surface, the density of the atmosphere is 14 times less than that of water. Despite the fact that the planet rotates slowly, there is no difference in day and night temperatures. The atmosphere of Venus extends to an altitude of 250 kilometers. The clouds are located at an altitude of 30-60 kilometers. The cover consists of several layers. Its chemical composition has not yet been established. But there are suggestions that chlorine and sulfur compounds are present here. Measurements were taken from spacecraft that descended into the planet's atmosphere. They showed that the cloud cover is not very dense and looks like a light haze. In ultraviolet it looks like a mosaic of dark and light stripes, which are extended towards the equator at a slight angle. The clouds rotate from east to west.

The movement period is 4 days. From this it turns out that the speed of the winds that blow at the cloud level is 100 m per second. Lightning strikes here 2 times more often than in the Earth's atmosphere. This phenomenon was called the "electric dragon of Venus." It was first recorded by the Venera-2 apparatus. It was detected as interference in radio transmissions. According to data from the Venera 8 spacecraft, only a small portion of the sun's rays reach the surface of Venus. When the Sun is at its zenith, the illumination is 1000-300 lux. There are never bright days here. Venus Express discovered the ozone layer in the atmosphere, which is located at an altitude of 100 kilometers.

Climate of Venus

Calculations show that if there were no greenhouse effect, the maximum temperature of Venus would not be above 80 degrees. In fact, the temperature of the planet is 477 degrees, the pressure is 93 atm. These calculations disappointed some researchers, who believed that conditions on Venus were close to those on Earth. The greenhouse effect leads to strong heating of the planet's surface. Here the wind is quite weak, and near the equator it increases to 200 - 300 m per second. Thunderstorms were also detected in the atmosphere.

Internal structure and surface

Thanks to the development of radar methods, it became possible to study the surface of Venus. The most detailed map was compiled by the Magellan apparatus. He photographed 98% of the planet. Vast highlands have been identified on the planet. The largest of them are the Land of Aphrodite and the Land of Ishtar. There are relatively few impact craters on the planet. 90% of Venus is covered with basaltic hardened lava. A significant part of the surface is young. With the help of Venus Express, a map of the planet’s southern hemisphere was compiled and published. Based on these data, hypotheses emerged about the existence of strong tectonic activity and oceans here. There are several models of its structure. According to the most realistic one, Venus has 3 shells. The first is the crust, which is 16 km thick. The second is the mantle. This is a shell that extends to a depth of 3300 km. Since the planet does not have a magnetic field, it is believed that there is no electric current in the core that causes it. This means that the nucleus is in a solid state. In the center the density reaches 14 g/cm³. A large number of details of the planet's relief have female names.

Relief

The Venera-16 and Venera-15 spacecraft recorded part of the northern hemisphere of Venus. From 1989 to 1994, Magellan produced more accurate mapping of the planet. Ancient volcanoes were discovered here that erupt lava, mountains, arachnoids, and craters. The bark is very thin, as it is weakened by high temperatures. The land of Aphrodite and Ishtar is no smaller than Europe in area, and the Parnge canyons are longer than them. Lowlands similar to ocean basins occupy 1/6 of the planet's surface. On Ishtar Earth, the Maxwell Mountains rise 11 kilometers. Impact craters are a rare element of the planet's landscape. There are approximately 1000 craters on the entire surface.

Observation

Venus is very easy to recognize. She shines much brighter than any stars. It can be distinguished due to its smooth white color. Like Mercury, it does not move very far from the Sun. It can move away from the yellow star by 47.8 degrees at elongation moments. Venus, like Mercury, has periods of evening and morning visibility. In ancient times, it was believed that evening and morning Venus were two different stars. Even with a small telescope, changes in the visible phase of its disk can be easily observed. It was first observed by Galileo in 1610.

Walking across the disk of the Sun

Venus looks like a small black disk against the background of a large star. But this phenomenon is very rare. Over 2.5 centuries there are 4 passages - 2 June and 2 December. We could see the last one on June 6, 2012. The next passage is expected on December 11, 2117. Astronomer Horrocks first observed this phenomenon on December 4, 1639. It was he who figured it out.

The "Apparitions of Venus on the Sun" were also of particular interest. They were made by Lomonosov in 1761. It was also calculated in advance and was expected by astronomers around the world. His research was needed to determine parallax, which allows us to clarify the distance from the Sun to the Earth. This required observation from different parts of the planet. They were carried out at 40 points with the participation of 112 people. Lomonosov was an organizer in Russia. He was interested in the physical side of the phenomenon and, thanks to independent observations, discovered a ring of light around Venus.

Satellite

Venus, like Mercury, has no natural satellites. There used to be many claims about their existence, but they were all based on error. These searches were practically completed by 1770. Indeed, during the observation of the planet’s passage across the solar disk, no signs of the existence of a satellite were found. Venus has a quasi-satellite that orbits the Sun such that there is an orbital resonance between Venus and it, asteroid 2002 VE. In the 19th century, it was believed that Mercury was a satellite of Venus.

Interesting facts about Venus:

Venus is not much smaller than Earth.

It is the second planet from the Sun. The distance between them is 108 million km.

Venus is a rocky planet. Refers to terrestrial planets. Its surface has a volcanic landscape and many craters.

The planet revolves around the Sun in 225 Earth days.

The atmosphere of Venus is toxic and dense. It consists of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. There are also clouds that consist of sulfuric acid.

The planet has no satellites.

More than 40 devices have explored Venus. In the 1990s, Magellan imaged approximately 98% of the planet.

There is no evidence of life.

The planet rotates in the opposite direction compared to the others. The sun sets here in the east and rises in the west.

Venus can cast a shadow on the Earth's surface on a moonless night. This planet is the brightest of all.

There is no magnetic field.

The planet's sphere is ideal, unlike the Earth's, which has a flattened sphere at the poles.

Thanks to strong winds, clouds completely circle the planet in 4 Earth days.

It is impossible to see the Earth or the Sun from the surface of the planet, since it is constantly shrouded in clouds.

The diameter of craters on the surface of Venus reaches two or more kilometers.

There is no change of seasons due to slow rotation around the axis.

It is believed that there used to be large reserves of water here, but due to solar radiation it evaporated.

Venus is the first planet seen from space.

The size of the planet is smaller than the size of the Earth, the density is lower, and the mass is 4/5 of the mass of our planet.

Due to the low force of gravity, a person weighing 70 kg on Venus will weigh no more than 62 kg.

Our earthly year is slightly more than a Venusian day.

If you are going to spend a vacation on another planet, then it is important to learn about possible climate changes :) But seriously, many people know that most planets in our solar system have extreme temperatures that are unsuitable for peaceful living. But what exactly are the temperatures on the surface of these planets? Below I offer a short overview of the temperatures of the planets of the solar system.

Mercury

Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, so one would assume that it is constantly heated like a furnace. However, although the temperature on Mercury can reach 427°C, it can also drop to a very low level of -173°C. Such a large difference in the temperature of Mercury occurs because it lacks an atmosphere.

Venus

Venus, the second closest planet to the Sun, has the highest average temperatures of any planet in our solar system, regularly reaching temperatures of 460°C. Venus is so hot because of its proximity to the Sun and its thick atmosphere. The atmosphere of Venus consists of dense clouds containing carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. This creates a strong greenhouse effect that keeps the sun's heat trapped in the atmosphere and turns the planet into an oven.

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and so far the only planet known to support life. The average temperature on Earth is 7.2°C, but it varies by large deviations from this indicator. The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 70.7°C in Iran. The lowest temperature was, and it reaches -91.2°C.

Mars

Mars is cold because, firstly, it does not have an atmosphere to maintain a high temperature, and secondly, it is located relatively far from the Sun. Because Mars has an elliptical orbit (it gets much closer to the Sun at some points in its orbit), during the summer its temperature can deviate by up to 30°C from normal in the northern and southern hemispheres. The minimum temperature on Mars is approximately -140°C, and the highest is 20°C.

Jupiter

Jupiter does not have any solid surface since it is a gas giant, so it does not have any surface temperature. At the top of Jupiter's clouds the temperature is about -145°C. As you descend closer to the center of the planet, the temperature increases. At a point where the atmospheric pressure is ten times greater compared to that on Earth, the temperature is 21°C, which some scientists jokingly call “room temperature.” At the planet's core, temperatures are much higher, reaching approximately 24,000°C. For comparison, it is worth noting that Jupiter's core is hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Saturn

As on Jupiter, the temperature in the upper atmosphere of Saturn remains very low - reaching approximately -175°C - and increases as it approaches the center of the planet (up to 11,700°C at the core). Saturn actually generates its own heat. It produces 2.5 times more energy than it receives from the Sun.

Uranus

Uranus is the coldest planet with the lowest recorded temperature of -224°C. Although Uranus is far from the Sun, this is not the only reason for its low temperature. All the other gas giants in our solar system emit more heat from their cores than they receive from the sun. Uranus has a core with a temperature of approximately 4737°C, which is only one-fifth the temperature of Jupiter's core.

Neptune

With temperatures reaching as low as -218°C in Neptune's upper atmosphere, the planet is one of the coldest in our solar system. Like the gas giants, Neptune has a much hotter core, which has a temperature of about 7000°C.

Below is a graph showing planetary temperatures in both Fahrenheit (°F) and Celsius (°C). Please note that Pluto has not been classified as a planet since 2006 (see below).

Venus is the second planet of the solar system. It belongs to the terrestrial planets, that is, it is a solid cosmic body. And since it is solid, then its surface should be dotted with mountains, plateaus, hills and lowlands. This is true. However, all data concerning the geology of Venus was obtained not through direct observations, but with the help of radar images, which in no way detracts from their authenticity. The human eye is powerless to see anything, since the surface of Venus is covered with a dense cap of acidic clouds.

So, what do space stations regularly tell us that are on round-the-clock duty near the second planet? Much of its surface was apparently formed by volcanic activity. At the same time, it is extremely active, since there are several times more volcanoes on Venus than on Earth. Of these, 167 are characterized as large. Only the Big Island of Hawaii can stand on a par with them on the blue planet.

There is an assumption that volcanic activity on the second planet continues to this day. This is indicated by lightning detected in the atmosphere. One of the theories of their origin states that they are formed as a result of volcanic eruptions.

There is also one more proof. It concerns changes in the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. In the period from 1978 to 1986 it decreased 10 times, and in 2006 it increased 10 times. It can be assumed that the increase in concentration was associated with massive volcanic eruptions.

In 2008-2009 Localized infrared hot spots have been discovered near existing volcanoes. Experts have suggested that this is volcanic lava that appeared as a result of recent volcanic eruptions. The approximate temperature of these points was 600-800 degrees Celsius, and the relative normal temperature is 467 degrees Celsius.

Almost 1,000 impact craters are distributed evenly across the surface of Venus. Moreover, 85% of the craters are in pristine condition. This suggests that the planet’s crust underwent global transformations 300-600 million years ago. This suggests a conclusion: the Venusian crust is not in continuous motion, like the Earth’s crust.

The latter, using plate tectonics, dissipates heat from the mantle, but Venus does not have this. Instead, it experiences a cyclical process in which the temperature of the mantle rises and reaches a critical value that weakens the crust. Then, for about 100 million years, the process of complete processing of the crust (subduction) is observed. At the same time, the surface topography of Venus changes globally, and old craters disappear.

Impact craters on the second planet have diameters from 3 to 280 km. With smaller diameters there are no craters. This is explained by the dense atmosphere. Small cosmic bodies with a diameter of less than 50 meters slow down in the upper layers of the atmosphere, fragment and burn before reaching the surface.

Nowadays, the surface of Venus is characterized by a slight difference in height. This value does not exceed 13 km. This is small, since on Earth the same figure is approximately 20 km. On the second planet, the altitude interval with a spread of 500 meters occupies at least 50% of the total surface area. That is, it is mainly flat in nature. At the same time, there is a slope of some areas of the terrain up to 45 degrees. Most of the planet (75%) is rocky soil, not covered by sedimentary rocks.

Elevations account for 10% of the surface area. They are volcanic plateaus with a height exceeding 2 km from the average distance to the center of the planet. The most significant plateaus are the land of Aphrodite, Lada, Ishtar. The latter rises 3-5 km above the average level and has its own mountain system - Maxwell. Its height is 10-11 km higher than the average level of the planet, and the mountain range rises 6-7 km above the surrounding area. In terms of area, Ishtar corresponds to Australia. In addition to those mentioned, there are other smaller plateaus.

The plains account for 50% of the surface of Venus. Their height relative to the average distance is 0-2 km. The entire remaining surface area is occupied by lowlands. They are located below the height taken as zero. They have a flat soil cover without ravines and rocky ledges.

Thus, the surface of Venus reflects the results of those geological processes that have prevailed on the planet for the last 300-600 million years. They are characterized by high volcanic activity and the influence of cosmic forces. The second planet is not suitable for life, but its topography corresponds to an ideal place to live. But the carbon dioxide environment, high atmospheric pressure and other negative factors completely reject dreams of life on Venus.

Vladislav Ivanov