created: 20230720101839792
modified: 20230720104223481
title: Venus
type: text/vnd.tiddlywiki
tags: Planet [[Rocky]]

[img class=hero-image [Venus Image]]

Venus is the second planet from the [[Sun]]. Venus is the only planet in the [[Solar System]] that has a day longer than a year. The year length of Venus is 225 [[Earth]] days. The day length of Venus is 243 [[Earth]] days.

Venus is a terrestrial planet because it has a solid, rocky surface like other planets in the inner [[Solar System]]. Astronomers have known Venus for thousands of years. The ancient Romans named it after their goddess Venus, goddess of love and beauty.

Venus is the brightest thing in the night sky except for the Moon. It is sometimes called the morning star or the evening star as at some elongations it is easily seen just before the sun comes up in the morning. At other times, it can be seen just after the sun goes down in the evening. Venus comes closer to the [[Earth]] than any other planet does.

Venus is sometimes called the sister planet of L as they are quite similar in size and gravity. In other ways the planets are very different. Venus' atmosphere (air) is mostly carbon dioxide with clouds of sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid is a chemical that is poisonous to life. For this it is sometimes known as the Earth's "evil twin".

The thick atmosphere makes it hard to see the surface. Until the late twentieth century many thought there might be life there. The pressure on Venus' surface is 92 times that of [[Earth]]. Venus is one of only 2 planets in the [[Solar System]] (the other being [[Mercury]]) that has no moons. Venus spins very slowly on its axis and it spins in the opposite direction to the other planets.