Venus is the second planet from the sun. It is Earth’s closest neighbor planet, and it is closest in size to the Earth. Over the centuries the planet held an important place in the mythology of many cultures. Here are some interesting facts about Venus.

Fact 1: Venus rotates, or spins, in the opposite direction as the Earth.

Fact 2: Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system. The surface temperature of Venus can reach 900° F or 475° C. This is because it has a very thick atmosphere which traps heat on the surface of the planet.

Fact 3: Volcanoes are the major force which shapes the landscape of Venus.  Some volcanoes are almost 3 miles high.

Fact 4: There have been many unmanned space missions to Venus. Some have even landed on the surface.

Fact 5: The atmosphere is very dense on the surface of Venus, up to 93 times denser than that of Earth. That density is like being one kilometer under the surface of the ocean. This would make walking on the surface of Venus very difficult.

Fact 6: Some scientists believe that billions of years ago Venus had an Earth-like atmosphere and that water was present on the surface of the planet.

Fact 7: Venus is covered by a thick layer of clouds. These clouds can produce lightning.

Fact 8: Venus is the brightest star (except for the Sun) visible from Earth. Due to its high visibility Venus has been called the ‘œMorning Star’ or ‘œEvening Star’.

Fact 9: At fifty kilometers above the surface of Venus the atmosphere is ‘œEarth-like’ with levels of oxygen similar to those found on Earth. This has led some scientists to propose establishing floating cities for humans on Venus.

Fact 10: The sulfur in the atmosphere of Venus indicates that volcanoes have been recently active on the surface.