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Venus
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References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images, Videos & Interactives
Venus colour-coded global image of the topography of Venus Planets of Our Solar System profile of Venus's atmosphere flat rock slabs and soil on the surface of Venus global topographic map of Venus Venusian arachnoid Maxwell Montes Akna Montes rift valley on Venus
For Students
Venus, view of the northern hemisphere based on radar data from the Magellan spacecraft.
Venus summary
Quizzes
View of the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31, M31).
Astronomy and Space Quiz
The orbits of the planets and other elements of the solar system, including asteroids, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, comet
Space Odyssey
Saturn. Saturn and its rings. Second largest planet of the solar system. Space Art
Planets and the Earth’s Moon
1 July 2002: The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite reveals a massive solar eruption more than 30 times the Earth's diameter. The eruption formed when a loop of a magnetic field over the surface of the Sun trapped hot gas.
Brightest Star in the Solar System
Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
All About Astronomy
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Solar system illustration. (Sun; planets)
A Model of the Cosmos
Venus, view of the northern hemisphere based on observations made by the Magellan spacecraft. The Maxwell Montes, Venus' highest mountain range, is the bright spot just below the center of the image. The Montes, and the dark areas above and to its left,a
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Solar system illustration. (planets; sun)
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Venus: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

Ladislav E. Roth and Stephen D. Wall (eds.), The Face of Venus: The Magellan Radar-Mapping Mission (1995), is a good post-Magellan popular-level book on the Venusian surface, with many excellent illustrations. Still informative pre-Magellan popular-level treatments include Garry E. Hunt and Patrick Moore, The Planet Venus (1982); and Eric Burgess, Venus, an Errant Twin (1985).

The scientific understanding of Venus is definitively and comprehensively summarized in S.W. Bougher, D.M. Hunten, and R.J. Phillips (eds.), Venus II (1997), a collection of papers written after the Magellan and Galileo missions. Mikhail Ya. Marov and David H. Grinspoon, The Planet Venus (1998), provides an excellent post-Magellan treatment of Venusian geology and most other aspects of the planet. A pre-Magellan overview of Venus’s surface is given by Alexander T. Basilevsky and James W. Head III, “The Geology of Venus,” Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 16:295–317 (1988). An interesting collection of papers by Soviet scientists in English on Venus is V.L. Barsukov et al. (eds.), Venus Geology, Geochemistry, and Geophysics (1992). The results of major spacecraft missions to Venus are reported in several journals: on Pioneer Venus, Journal of Geophysical Research, 85:7573–8337 (1980); V.L. Barsukov et al., “The Geology and Geomorphology of the Venus Surface as Revealed by the Radar Images Obtained by Veneras 15 and 16,” Journal of Geophysical Research, pt. B, Solid Earth and Planets, 91(B4):D378–D398 (March 30, 1986); Science, 253:1457–1612 (Sept. 27, 1991), an issue devoted to the Galileo flyby of Venus; and two issues of Journal of Geophysical Research, pt. E, Planets, vol. 97, devoted to detailed Magellan mission results: no. 8 (Aug. 25, 1992); and no. 10 (Oct. 25, 1992).

Steven W. Squyres

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Steven W. Squyres
    Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Principal investigator for the science payload on the Mars Exploration Rover Project; past radar investigator on the Magellan mission to Venus.

Other Contributors

  • Isai Symens

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: NASA Science - Venus. May 09, 2024
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Was Venus the first habitable world of our Solar System? Aug 06, 2023
Added interactive media. May 24, 2023
Added material about evidence for volcanism on Venus and upcoming missions to the planet. Mar 22, 2023
Added cross-references. Jan 20, 2023
Add new Web site: Live Science - Venus: Facts about the hellish planet next door. Aug 18, 2022
Add new Web site: Space.com - Venus: The scorching second planet from the sun. Apr 26, 2022
Corrected display issue. Oct 11, 2021
Top Questions updated. Jun 04, 2021
Add new Web site: CoolKidFacts.com - Venus. Mar 13, 2018
Article revised. Aug 09, 2017
Added material about Akatsuki and the end of the Venus Express mission. Feb 24, 2016
Added material about the HAVOC mission concept. Feb 24, 2016
Add new Web site: Kidipede Science for Kids - Physics - Venus. May 22, 2014
Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids - Venus Facts. May 22, 2014
Add new Web site: h2g2 - Venus. May 22, 2014
Add new Web site: HyperPhysics - Venus. Jan 28, 2013
Add new Web site: Iloveindia.com - Venus. Jan 28, 2013
Add new Web site: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Exploring the Planets - Venus Facts. Jan 28, 2013
Add new Web site: Indian Child - Venus. Jan 28, 2013
Add new Web site: Kids Astronomy - Our Solar System - Venus. Jan 27, 2013
Add new Web site: The Nine Planets - Venus Facts. Jan 27, 2013
Add new Web site: Enchanted Learning - Venus. Jan 27, 2013
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Venus. Jan 27, 2013
Add new Web site: NASA Science - Venus. Jan 27, 2013
The table Planetary data for Venus was revised and updated. Dec 06, 2012
Add new Web site: India Parenting - Venus. Sep 13, 2012
Video of 2012 transit of Venus added. Jul 06, 2012
Updated for transit of Venus in June 2012. Jul 06, 2012
Information added about Venus's slowing rotation. Density of Venus changed from "5.25" to "5.24" grams per cubic centimetre. May 24, 2012
Added video depicting a 360-degree view of Idunn Mons. Feb 03, 2012
Added images of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and the Idunn Mons volcano. May 27, 2011
Add new Web site: Wolfram Research - Eric Weisstein's World of Astronomy - Venus. Aug 26, 2010
Video of Venera 4 added. May 05, 2010
Photographs of Venus's surface taken by Venera 13 added. Mar 22, 2010
Media added. Aug 18, 2009
Information about lightning on Venus added. May 08, 2009
Added new Web site: Window To The Universe - The Atmosphere of Venus. Apr 23, 2009
Added new Web site: Window To The Universe - An Overview Of The Interior And Surface Of Venus. Apr 23, 2009
Added new Web site: National Geographic - Science - Venus. Apr 16, 2009
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - Venus Explained. Feb 11, 2009
Media added. Feb 06, 2009
Added new Web site: Office of Naval Research - Solar System: Inner Planets - Venus. May 19, 2008
Article revised and updated. Sep 06, 2007
Added new Web site: Window To The Universe - Our Solar System. Jul 07, 2006
Article revised and updated. Jun 29, 2006
Bibliography revised. Jun 29, 2006
Added new Web site: The New York Times - Exploring the Solar System. Jun 28, 2006
Added new Web site: Wayne RESA - Life on Other Planets in the Solar System. Jun 26, 2006
Added new Web site: Wayne RESA - Life on Other Planets in the Solar System. Jun 26, 2006
Revised in concert with revision of Venus article 2004-06. Jun 09, 2006
Added new Web site: The Nine Planets - Phobos. Jun 08, 2006
Added new Web site: Enchanted Learning - All About Astronomy. May 26, 2006
Article added to new online database. Aug 24, 1998
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