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Classification
Using the classification based on size, Venus is one of the small planets.
Mercury, Earth, Mars and Pluto are also classified as small planets. All of
these planets have diameters less than 13000 kilometers. The other planets
are classified as gas giants. |
Where is It?
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, located in between Mercury and Earth. The orbit, or path, Venus follows around the
Sun is nearly circular, so the planet's distance from the Sun averages
about 105 million kilometers. |
How Did It Get Its Name?
Venus was named for the goddess of love and beauty. However Venus is a
very unpleasant place, with winds that blow hundreds of kilometers. an
hour, and temperatures that are hot enough to melt most metals. |
How long are its years and
days?
Being closer to the Sun, a Venerian year is just 225 days.
Venus spins more slowly than Earth,
so a day on Venus is 243 days, which means that a day on Venus is longer
than it's year. |
How Big Is It?
Venus is almost the same size as Earth, with a diameter of about 12100 kilometers.
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Can It Be Seen From Earth?
Venus can be seen for several months each year, either in the
morning or evening sky without a telescope. Venus is called both the
morning and evening star, and ancient astronomers thought it was two
different objects. When it is visible, Venus is the second-brightest
object in the sky, being outshone only by the Moon.
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What Is It Made Of?
Venus is one of the solar system's rocky planets, along with Earth
and Mercury.
The planet has an iron core, which is covered by a rocky layer. This rocky
layer has a lot of lava, which has been generated by the many volcanoes on
its surface. |
What Is It Like on The
Surface?
Venus is an extremely unpleasant place. The bright white light seen from
Earth is a result of sunlight being reflected off
the clouds that completely cover the planet's surface. These clouds are
made of sulfuric acid, which is an extremely dangerous substance. The
average temperature on Venus is around 480 degrees Celsius, which is hot
enough to melt lead. Also, the clouds on Venus have created at atmosphere
that is the same as being 800 meters underwater on Earth. The air pressure would be enough to crush
some submarines. Finally the winds on Venus are almost always faster than
a tornado, averaging around 380 kilometers. per hour. The few spacecraft
that have managed to land on Venus have lasted less than an hour before
the heat and air pressure have melted and crushed them.
For this reason, a lot of what is known about
the surface of Venus has come from spacecraft that have studied the planet
from a safe distance. Some of the planet's surface has been mapped using
radar telescopes on Earth.
Venus has a surface that has many mountains (some higher than Mount
Everest), volcanoes and plains filled with lava.
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Does it have any special
features?
Venus rotates from East to West, which is just the
opposite of Earth
and most of the other planets. |
Resources Used
Astronomy for Kids
www.dustbunny.com/afk/
Small Worlds David Drew: Nelson, 1989
The Gas Giants David Drew: Nelson, 1989
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