Did you know that a day on Venus is longer than an Earth year?
Our solar system is filled with celestial bodies all unique in their own way. Venus, the second planet from the sun is one of Earth’s closest space neighbours. Although the two planets are strikingly similar in their size and density, they are radically different in a plethora of other ways. Read on to learn some lesser known trivia about this planet.
Despite being further from the Sun, Venus is hotter than Mercury
Many people wrongly assume that the proximity of a planet with the Sun determines how hot it will be. However, even though Venus is further away from the sun than Mercury, it is still hotter than it. Its mean temperature is around 426 degrees Celsius. The reason behind this is the high concentration of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere which causes a significant greenhouse effect. Thus, the heat gets trapped almost like a blanket, which causes Venus to have a high temperature.
It takes Venus about 243 Earth days to rotate once
A single day on Venus is longer than an entire year on Earth! In fact, it takes this planet longer to rotate once around its axis as compared to completing one single orbit around the sun. This means that it has the longest rotation period amongst the planets in our Solar System, and it takes Venus only 224.7 days to orbit around the sun.
It spins clockwise on its axis
This is one of the most unique features of this planet which sets it apart from the others in the Solar System. Every other planet spins in the anti-clockwise direction on their axis. They also orbit around the sun in the same direction. Although Venus orbits around the Sun similar to the other planets, it spins clockwise on its own axis. This is because it was knocked of its upright position earlier in history when a celestial body collided with it. The collision resulted in a major tilt in its position that eventually left it upside down.
Venus gets its name from a Roman goddess
Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. She was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in Roman mythology. Astronomers back in the day decided to name the planet after her due to its striking, bright and shining appearance in the night sky.
It is the second shiniest natural object visible in the night sky
Venus is considered to be the shiniest natural object in the night sky, falling second only to the Moon. It is so bright that it can be spotted even during the day. The brightness is a result of the clouds of sulphuric acid in the planet’s atmosphere which make it reflective and shiny.