Venus Similar to Earth and Mars the Red Planet - PHYS 320:...

PHYS 320: Astrophysics I
Important information on Venus and Mars
• Venus
o The hottest planet in the Solar System (hotter than the side of Mercury that faces the
Sun)
o Almost the same size, gravity, and mass as the Earth
o Venus has a very thick atmosphere (you cannot see the surface of Venus from space)
o Surface pressure on Venus is enormous (it would crush you)
o The rain there is pure acid rain
o Besides the Sun and the Moon, Venus is the brightest object in Earth’s sky
o People call it the “morning star” or “evening star”
o No moons
• Tiny amount of other gasses like water vapor and carbon dioxide
o These do absorb heat efficiently
o These are known as greenhouse gasses
o
• Mars
o Smaller than Earth and Venus but not as small as Mercury or the Moon
o Been a dead world for a few billion years