Venus Now Hottest Planet in Solar System
- This article discusses the surprising similarities between Venus and Earth, and how Venus might potentially be more comparable to our planet than Mars is.
- In the early solar system, Earth, Mars, and Venus were remarkably similar in size, composition, and distance.
- Venus's extreme conditions - intense heat and crushing atmospheric pressure - make it incredibly tough to study.
Venus: Earth’s “Forgotten Twin”
Table of Contents
This article discusses the surprising similarities between Venus and Earth, and how Venus might potentially be more comparable to our planet than Mars is. While Mars often receives attention as a potential past home for life, some scientists beleive Venus holds more clues to understanding planetary evolution.
Early Similarities
In the early solar system, Earth, Mars, and Venus were remarkably similar in size, composition, and distance. Professor Martha Gilmore of Wesleyan University describes them as “siblings with different fates.” This suggests Earth’s current state isn’t necessarily the only possible outcome for a rocky planet.
Divergent Evolution & Current Conditions
However, these planets have dramatically diverged over time.
Hear’s a comparison of the three planets’ current conditions:
| Planet | Current State | Surface Temperature (approx.) | atmospheric Pressure (relative to Earth) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earth | Warm, habitable, full of life | 15°C (59°F) | 1x |
| Mars | Dry, barren, frozen | -62°C (-80°F) | ~0.01x |
| Venus | Hottest planet in the solar system | 464°C (867°F) | 75x |
Venus’s extreme conditions - intense heat and crushing atmospheric pressure – make it incredibly tough to study. spacecraft sent to Venus’s surface have only survived for a maximum of two hours before being destroyed.
Factors Influencing Planetary Differences
Gilmore attributes these differences to variations in planet size, internal heat, and distance from the sun.
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