Type of planet Venus. Surface of Venus: area, temperature, description of the planet. Why Venus is called Earth's sister
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The planet closest to us has a very beautiful name, however, the surface of Venus makes it clear that in fact there is nothing in her character that would resemble the goddess of love. This planet is sometimes called Earth's twin sister. However, the only thing they have in common is their similar sizes.
History of discovery
Even the smallest telescope can track the shift of the disk of this planet. This was first discovered by Galileo back in 1610. The atmosphere was noticed by Lomonosov in 1761, at the moment when it passed by the Sun. It is surprising that such a movement was predicted by calculations, so astronomers were looking forward to this event with special impatience. However, only Lomonosov drew attention to the fact that when the disks of the star and the planet “touched”, a barely noticeable glow appeared around the latter. The observer concluded that this effect arose as a result of the refraction of the Sun's rays in the atmosphere. He believed that the surface of Venus is covered with an atmosphere very similar to that of the earth.
Planet
This planet is located in second place from the Sun. At the same time, Venus is closer than other planets to Earth. Moreover, before space flights became a reality, it was almost impossible to find out about this celestial body. Very little was known:
- It is removed from the star at a distance of 108 million 200 thousand kilometers.
- A day on Venus lasts 117 Earth days.
- It completes a full revolution around our star in almost 225 Earth days.
- Its mass is 0.815% of the mass of the Earth, which is equal to 4.867 * 1024 kg.
- The acceleration of this planet is 8.87 m/s².
- The surface area of Venus is 460.2 million square km.
The diameter of the planet's disk is 600 km less than the Earth's, amounting to 12,104 km. The force of gravity is almost the same as ours - our kilogram will weigh only 850 grams there. Because the planet's size, composition, and gravity are very similar to those of Earth, it is commonly referred to as "Earth-like."
The uniqueness of Venus is that it rotates in a different direction than other planets. Only Uranus “behaves” in a similar way. Venus, whose atmosphere is very different from ours, rotates around its axis in 243 days. The planet manages to complete a revolution around the Sun in 224.7 days, equal to ours. This makes the year on Venus shorter than a day. In addition, day and night on this planet change, but the season is always the same.
Surface
The surface of Venus is mostly hilly and almost flat plains founded by volcanic eruptions. The remaining 20% of the planet are giant mountains called Ishtar Land, Aphrodite Land, Alpha and Beta regions. These massifs consist mainly of basaltic lava. Many craters have been discovered in these areas, with an average diameter of more than 300 kilometers. Scientists quickly found an answer to the question of why it is impossible to find a smaller crater on Venus. The fact is that meteorites, which could leave a relatively small mark on the surface, simply do not reach it, burning up in the atmosphere.
The surface of Venus is rich in a variety of volcanoes, but it is not yet clear whether eruptions have ended on the planet. This question is of significant importance in the question of the evolution of the planet. The geology of the “twin” is still very poorly understood, but it provides a basic understanding of the structure and processes of formation of this celestial body.
It is still unknown whether the planet's core is a liquid substance or solid. But scientists have found that it does not have electrical conductivity, otherwise Venus would have a magnetic field similar to ours. The absence of such activity remains a mystery to astronomers. The most popular point of view, which more or less explains this phenomenon, is that perhaps the process of solidification of the core has not yet begun, therefore convective jets generating a magnetic field cannot yet be born in it.
The temperature on Venus reaches 475 degrees. For a long time astronomers could not find an explanation for this. However, today, after a lot of research, it is believed that this is to blame. According to calculations, if our planet moved only 10 million kilometers closer to the star, this effect would get out of control, as a result of which there would simply be an irreversible heating of the Earth and the death of all living things.
Scientists simulated a situation where the temperature on Venus was not so high, and found that then it would have oceans similar to those on Earth.
There are none on Venus that would need updating in a hundred million years. Judging by the available data, the planet's crust has been motionless for at least 500 million years. However, this does not mean that Venus is stable. Elements rise from its depths, heating the bark and softening it. Therefore, it is likely that the planet’s topography will undergo global changes.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of this planet is very powerful, barely transmitting the light of the Sun. But this light is not like the one we see every day - these are just weak scattered rays. 97% carbon dioxide, almost 3% nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor - this is what Venus “breathes”. The planet's atmosphere is very poor in oxygen, however various connections enough for clouds to form from sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide.
The lower layers of the atmosphere surrounding the planet are practically motionless, but the wind speed in the troposphere is most often above 100 m/s. Such hurricanes merge together, circling the entire planet in just four of our days.
Research
Nowadays, the planet is explored not only through aircraft, but also with the help of radio emission. Extremely unfavourable conditions on the planet make it much more difficult to study. Nevertheless, over the past 47 years, 19 successful attempts have been made to send devices to the surface of this celestial body. In addition, six space stations allowed us to obtain valuable information about our closest neighbor.
Since 2005, a ship has been in orbit around the planet, studying the planet and its atmosphere. Scientists hope to use it to discover more than one secret of Venus. The device has now transmitted to Earth a large number of information that will help scientists learn much more about the planet. For example, from their reports it became known that hydroxyl ions are present in the atmosphere of Venus. Scientists have no idea yet how this can be explained.
One of the questions that experts would like to get an answer to is: what kind of substance at an altitude of about 56-58 kilometers absorbs half of the ultraviolet rays?
Observation
At twilight, Venus is visible very well. Sometimes its sparkle is so bright that shadows are created from objects on Earth (like moonlight). Under suitable conditions, it can be observed even during the daytime.
- The age of the planet by cosmic standards is very small - about 500 million years.
- less than on Earth, gravity is lower, so a person would weigh less on this planet than at home.
- The planet has no satellites.
- A day on the planet is longer than a year.
- Despite gigantic size, not a single crater on Venus is practically visible, since the planet is well hidden by clouds
- Chemical processes in clouds contribute to the formation of acids.
Now you know a lot of interesting things about the mysterious earthly “double”.
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 seen 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 interferes with visible light see its surface. 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 big amount slab-like rocks. It is believed that due to a weak magnetic field, water vapor was carried into interplanetary space solar wind. Scientists have found that even now the atmosphere of Venus is losing oxygen and hydrogen in a ratio of 1:2. Atmosphere pressure 92 times more than on Earth. 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 revolution 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 equal to 81.5% of the Earth’s (4.87 10 24 kilograms), and 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. His chemical composition not installed yet. 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 under small 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 part sun 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
As calculations show, if there were no greenhouse effect, Maximum temperature 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 basalt frozen 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 has no magnetic field, they believe that there is no electric current which calls 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 because it is weakened high temperature. 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 away from the Sun for long distance. 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. December 11, 2117 is expected next playthrough. 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, does not have 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 planets earth type. 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 thanks to solar radiation she 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.
One of the most remarkable objects in the solar system is the planet Venus.
In fact, she is unique and deserves to be named after the goddess of love and beauty. After all, she really does have several features.
Characteristics of Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and closest to Earth. The diameter is 12100 kilometers, the radius at the equator is 6051.8 kilometers.
The mass of Venus is 4871024 kg, and the density is 5250 kg/m 3. The core is made of molten iron and nickel.
Life on it is absolutely impossible for many reasons:
- Atmospheric pressure exceeds 9 MPa.
- The atmosphere consists of precisely those substances that can kill all living things: carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid and soda.
- Because of this, the planet is like in a greenhouse, and the temperature rises above 400 degrees Celsius at any time of the day. And it would be even hotter if Venus's atmosphere didn't reflect most of the sun's rays.
- If a person stepped onto the surface of the planet, he would instantly be swept off his feet, because the hurricane that rushes across Venus every second reaches 50 kilometers per hour or even more in some areas.
- You should also be afraid of thunderstorms there, because huge lightning strikes every day.
The planet looks attractive - its color is sandy or yellowish, and it reflects light very beautifully in the sky.
Venera is also one of two planets that rotates in reverse side(second planet - Uranus). In general, the planet is almost completely upside down from our point of view - its tilt of the axis of rotation is as much as 177 degrees.
Also, Venus has no satellites.
Surface of the second planet
Its surface is represented by thousands of volcanoes, which often erupt. At these moments, particularly strong thunderstorms begin. The weather here is truly unpredictable.
The relief is very diverse: There are long plains, and there are also long mountain ranges with peaks, somewhere reaching a height of a kilometer, but they are very wide - the diameter is 200-300 kilometers.
But still there are very few craters on it, because all external damage is smoothed out by lava.
The first photos of the surface were taken in 1975 during Operation Venera 9. Before this, satellites transmitted information about the soil and atmosphere.
Distance from Earth to Venus
The distance to the third planet is a minimum of 38 million kilometers, and a maximum of 261 million kilometers. It takes several months to fly from Earth to the second planet, depending on the position of celestial objects.
But a star called the Sun is located 108 million kilometers from Venus.
How long is a Venusian day?
It rotates around its axis quite slowly - one revolution takes 243 Earth days, so the days and nights there are terribly long. It circles the Sun with an orbital frequency of 225 days, floating through space at a speed of 35 kilometers per hour.
Magnetic field of Venus
The planet has a magnetic field, but it is created not by internal processes, like the Earth, but by the influence of the Sun. If you draw it, it resembles the tail of a comet.
This induced magnetic field is the result of the interaction of the atmosphere and the sun's rays, and it, along with gravity, keeps all the substances on Venus in place.
First escape velocity of Venus
First escape velocity means the speed at which some body will not fall onto the planet, but will fly above the surface. It is calculated using a special formula: Square root from the product of the gravitational constant (6.67 * 10 -11 N * m 2 / kg 2) and the mass of Venus (4.9 * 10 24 kg), divided by the radius of the planet (6.1 * 10 6 m). The calculation is given below.
Why Venus is called Earth's sister
The second planet is often called the sister of the Earth, because they really have similar sizes: the diameter is only 5% smaller than the Earth’s, the mass is 0.815 of the mass of the third planet, and the gravity is about 0.9 of the Earth’s.
How to see Venus in the sky
You can see this planet in the west in the evening, but in the morning it will be in the east.
When people wonder which planet is called the morning or evening star, the answer is precisely the planet Venus.
Something else interesting about the third planet of the solar system:
- Once upon a time, scientists believed that Venus had a tropical climate. It is easy to imagine their surprise when the truth was revealed.
- It began to be noticed in ancient times, but full-fledged research began only in the second half of the 20th century. The first expeditions were not successful, since the deadly conditions completely swept away the devices that landed above the surface, but many of them managed to transmit information. A little later, pictures of the planet appeared.
- Galileo Galilei discovered Venus in the Middle Ages. Even then, he conducted a lot of research and wrote down the information he knew.
- Venus is the third brightest object in the earth's sky. She can even create shadows.
- If you observe the planet through a telescope, you will notice that it has phases. Through magnifying devices, a unique panorama of Venus opens up. Undoubtedly, such reviews are interesting not only for adults, but also for children.
Space is an endless space that contains billions of secrets and mysteries. And the beautiful Venus, not fully explored, is one of them!
Venus is the second planet in the solar system farthest from the main star. It is often called the “twin sister of the Earth”, because it is almost identical to our planet in size and is its kind of neighbor, but otherwise has many differences.
History of the name
The celestial body was named named after the Roman goddess of fertility. IN different languages translations of this word vary - there is such a meaning as “mercy of the gods”, Spanish “shell” and Latin - “love, charm, beauty”. The only planet in the solar system that has earned the right to be called beautiful female name due to the fact that in ancient times it was one of the brightest in the sky.
Dimensions and composition, nature of the soil
Venus is quite a bit smaller than our planet - its mass is 80% of the Earth's. More than 96% of it is carbon dioxide, the rest is nitrogen with a small amount of other compounds. According to its structure the atmosphere is dense, deep and very cloudy and consists mainly of carbon dioxide, so the surface is difficult to see due to a peculiar “greenhouse effect”. The pressure there is 85 times greater than ours. The composition of the surface in its density resembles the basalts of the Earth, but it itself extremely dry due to the complete lack of liquid and high temperatures. The crust is 50 kilometers thick and consists of silicate rocks.
Research by scientists has shown that Venus has granite deposits along with uranium, thorium and potassium, as well as basalt rocks. Upper layer soil is close to that of the earth, and the surface is strewn with thousands of volcanoes.
Periods of rotation and circulation, change of seasons
The period of rotation around its axis for this planet is quite long and is approximately 243 Earth days, exceeding the period of revolution around the Sun, which is equal to 225 Earth days. Thus, a Venusian day is longer than one Earth year - this is the longest day on all planets in the solar system.
Another one interesting feature- Venus, unlike other planets in the system, rotates in the opposite direction - from east to west. At its closest approach to the Earth, the cunning “neighbor” turns only one side all the time, managing to make 4 revolutions around its own axis during breaks.
The calendar turns out to be very unusual: the Sun rises in the west, sets in the east, and there is practically no change of seasons due to its too slow rotation around itself and constant “baking” from all sides.
Expeditions and satellites
First spacecraft, sent from Earth to Venus - the Soviet apparatus Venera-1, launched in February 1961, the course of which could not be corrected and it went far past. The flight made by Mariner 2, which lasted 153 days, became more successful, and The ESA Venus Express orbiting satellite passed as close as possible, launched in November 2005.
In the future, namely in 2020-2025, the American space agency plans to send a large-scale space expedition, which will have to receive answers to many questions, in particular regarding the disappearance of oceans from the planet, geological activity, features of the atmosphere there and the factors of its change.
How long does it take to fly to Venus and is it possible?
The main difficulty of flying to Venus is that it is difficult to tell the ship exactly where to go in order to directly reach its destination. You can move along the transition orbits of one planet to another, as if catching up with her. Therefore, a small and inexpensive device will spend a significant part of its time on this. No human has ever set foot on the planet, and it is unlikely that this world of unbearable heat and strong wind she'll like it. Is it just to fly by...
Concluding the report, let us note one more interesting fact: today nothing is known about natural satellites ah Venus. It also does not have rings, but it shines so brightly that on a moonless night it is clearly visible from the inhabited Earth.
If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you
The second planet from the Sun, Venus, is the closest to Earth and, perhaps, the most beautiful of the planets terrestrial group. For thousands of years she has attracted curious glances from scientists of ancient and modern times to mere mortal poets. No wonder she has the name greek goddess love. But its study rather adds questions than gives any answers.
One of the first observers, Galileo Galilei, observed Venus with a telescope. With the advent of more powerful optical devices such as telescopes in 1610, people began to note the phases of Venus, which closely resembled lunar phases. Venus is one of the brightest stars in our sky, so at dusk and in the morning, you can see the planet with the naked eye. Watching its passage in front of the Sun, Mikhailo Lomonosov in 1761 examined a thin rainbow rim surrounding the planet. This is how the atmosphere was discovered. It turned out to be very powerful: the pressure near the surface reached 90 atmospheres!
The greenhouse effect explains the high temperatures of the lower layers of the atmosphere. It is also present on other planets, for example on Mars, due to it, the temperature can rise by 9°, on Earth - up to 35°, and on Venus - it reaches its maximum, among planets - up to 480° C.
Internal structure of Venus
The structure of Venus, our neighbor, is similar to other planets. It includes the crust, mantle and core. Radius liquid core, containing a lot of iron, is approximately 3200 km. The structure of the mantle - molten matter - is 2800 km, and the thickness of the crust is 20 km. It is surprising that with such a core, the magnetic field is practically absent. This is most likely due to the slow rotation. The atmosphere of Venus reaches up to 5500 km, the upper layers of which consist almost entirely of hydrogen. Soviet automatic interplanetary stations (AMS) “Venera-15” and “Venera-16” were discovered on Venus back in 1983 Mountain peaks with lava flows. Now the number of volcanic objects reaches 1600 pieces. Volcanic eruptions indicate activity in the planet's interior, which is locked under thick layers of basalt shell.
Rotation around its own axis
Most planets solar system, make a revolution around its axis from west to east. Venus, like Uranus, is an exception to this rule, and rotates in the opposite direction, from east to west. This non-standard rotation is called retrograde. Thus, a full revolution around its axis lasts 243 days.
Scientists believe that after the formation of Venus, there was a large amount of water on its surface. But, with the advent of the greenhouse effect, the evaporation of the seas began and the release into the atmosphere of various breeds, carbonic anhydrite. This led to an increase in water evaporation and an overall increase in temperature. After some time, the water disappeared from the surface of Venus and entered the atmosphere.
Now, the surface of Venus looks like a rocky desert, with occasional mountains and undulating plains. From the oceans, only huge depressions remained on the planet. Radar data taken from interplanetary stations recorded traces of recent volcanic activity.
In addition to the Soviet spacecraft, the American Magellan also visited Venus. He produced an almost complete mapping of the planet. During the scanning process, a huge number of volcanoes, hundreds of craters and numerous mountains were discovered. Based on their characteristic elevations, relative to the average level, scientists have identified 2 continents - the land of Aphrodite and the land of Ishtar. On the first continent, the size of Africa, there is an 8-kilometer Mount Maat - a huge extinct volcano. The continent of Ishtar is comparable in size to the United States. Its attraction is the 11-kilometer Maxwell Mountains, the highest peaks on the planet. Compound rocks, resembles terrestrial basalt.
On the Venusian landscape, impact craters filled with lava can be found with a diameter of about 40 km. But this is an exception, because there are about 1 thousand of them in total.
Characteristics of Venus
Weight: 4.87*1024 kg (0.815 earth)
Diameter at the equator: 12102 km
Axle tilt: 177.36°
Density: 5.24 g/cm3
average temperature surfaces: +465 °C
Period of revolution around the axis (days): 244 days (retrograde)
Distance from the Sun (average): 0.72 a. e. or 108 million km
Orbital period around the Sun (year): 225 days
Orbital speed: 35 km/s
Orbital eccentricity: e = 0.0068
Orbital inclination to the ecliptic: i = 3.86°
Acceleration free fall: 8.87m/s2
Atmosphere: carbon dioxide (96%), nitrogen (3.4%)
Satellites: no