◆ Venus Venus is the 2nd planet in the solar system, a rocky world. # ############### ##################### ######################### ########################### ############################# ############################### ############################### ################################# ############################### ############################### ############################# ########################### ######################### ##################### ############### # Type Planet Magnitude -4.3 Distance 0.66 AU, 6 light-minutes Apparent size 25″ Illuminated 47% Known as Symbol ♀ Physical Radius 6,052 km, 0.95 of Earth's Mass 0.815 of Earth's Density 5.20 g/cm3 Surface gravity 8.9 m/s2, 0.90x Earth's Escape velocity 10.4 km/s Day 243.0 Earth days Axial tilt 177.3 degrees Albedo 0.65, reflects 65% of the light hitting it Temperature 735 K, 462 C Moons none More information about Venus Venus is bright enough to cast a shadow on a dark night and is routinely reported as an aircraft or a UFO. It shows phases like the Moon, which is what Galileo observed in 1610 and what settled the argument about whether everything orbits the Earth. Under its clouds, its surface is 460 degrees and dry. Its name comes from the same root as venerate and venom (which was first a love potion). Venus is never up all night: it is a morning star or an evening star and never both at once, which is why so many traditions gave it two names. Greek had Phosphoros and Hesperos, and Czech still has Jitrenka and Vecernice. History Discovered known since antiquity First visited Mariner 2, 1962, the first flyby of any planet Missions Venera 1961-1984 Mariner 1962-1974 Magellan 1990-1994 Venus Express 2006-2014 Akatsuki 2015-2024 Etymology From Latin Reading Venus Literally desire, charm where it is tonight: skymap.sh/Venus