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Venus, pictured center-right, is always brighter, By Brocken Inaglory –

Top 10 Facts about Venus

Planets are large, rounded astronomical bodies that are neither stars nor their remnants. However, Venus is the second planet from the sun and is included in the list of the most brightest objects in the sky.  Planet Venus is also among the largest objects in the solar system.

It has been observed from the earth’s north pole that all of the planets in the Solar System orbit the sun anticlockwise and most of them rotate on their axes in an anti-clockwise direction apart from Venus. Contrary to other planets Venus rotates clockwise in motion once every 243 Earth days thus making it the slowest rotation compared to any other planet.

Here are some of the top 10 facts about Venus that you should consider learning;

1. It is the brightest object in the sky after the moon

Venus, pictured center-right, is always brighter than all other planets or stars at their maximal brightness, as seen from Earth. By Brocken Inaglory –

Venus is the brightest object in the night after the moon. Its brightness is influenced by the fact that the planet is close to Earth. It, therefore, reflects a lot of sunlight. This is because of the reflective clouds. These clouds reflect sunlight into space thus making Venus seem bright in the sky.

2. It is referred to as the morning star or evening star

Venus is, however, the second-closest planet to the sun and planet Earth. It is, therefore referred to as the Morning Star or Evening Star because it is visible both after sunset and before sunrise.

3. Following Planet Earth, Venus  is the second largest planet

Size comparison of Earth and Venus (radar surface map), By NASA –

Venus is the second largest terrestrial planet after Earth. However, it has a size that is equivalent to thus of Earth thus referred to sometimes as  Earth’s “sister” or “twin” planet. Nevertheless, it has a much denser atmosphere, whereby its atmospheric pressure is about 90 times that of Earth’s, hence making it the most atmospheric planet in the solar system.

It is also considered being the hottest planet in the solar system, with a surface temperature of about 735K which is 462°C.

4. The planet has a very slow rotation and also rotates clockwise unlike other planets

Modern telescopic view of Venus from Earth’s surface, By Marc Lecleire –

It takes about 243 Earth days for Venus to complete one full rotation, thus leading to a slow rotation.  Thus making it the longest rotation in the solar system.

Additionally, unlike other planets in the solar system, Venus spins clockwise on its axis. This may have been influenced by the fact that Venus had been turned upside down due to a collision with another celestial body.

5. The astronomical symbol of   Venus is similar to the female sex’s biological symbol

 The Venus symbol represents femininity hence its symbol being similar to the female sex in biology. It also represented the metal copper in Western alchemy. Polished copper has been used for mirrors since antiquity.  The symbol has been understood to stand for the goddess’ mirror, though this is unlikely to be its true origin. 

6. Just like the mercury, Venus does not have moons

Modern telescopic view of Venus from Earth’s surface, By Marc Lecleire –

The moon shines brightly in the night sky, its monthly phases waxing and waning in a steady and comforting rhythm. However, most of the major planets have moons apart from Mercury and Venus. There are various reasons why Venus does not have a moon.  The main reason is that Venus is a small planet and does not have the mass to necessarily hold onto a moon. 

Other reasons would be that Venus orbits very close to the sun and if there were a moon to be formed it would probably be pulled into the sun due to its gravitational force. Additionally, the formation of the moon would be difficult due to the dense atmosphere of Venus, thus limiting its survival and rotational of the moon.

7. It was the first planet farther than Earth to be visited

Artist’s impression of Mariner 2, launched in 1962, By NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory –

Venus has become a prime target for early interplanetary exploration. It was the first planet beyond Earth to be visited by spacecraft. Venus has been a major fixture in human culture for as long as records have existed, as one of the brightest objects in the sky.

8. It has been made sacred to god by various cultures

Venus has been made sacred to gods from many cultures, and it gets its most common name from the Roman goddess of love and beauty with whom it is associated. It has also served as a major source of inspiration for writers, poets, and scholars. Venus was the first planet whose motions were plotted across the sky, as early as the second millennium BCE.

9. The planet’s name originated from the Roman goddess of love and beauty

The name “Venus” originated from the Roman goddess of love and beauty. It, however, thought that the planet was named after the Roman goddess due to its bright, shining appearance in the sky. 

10.  In a telescopic view, Venus’s phases resemble those of the Moon as it orbits the Sun

The phases of Venus and evolution of its apparent diameter, By Statis Kalyvas –

Venus, as it orbits the Sun, exhibits telescopic phases similar to those of the Moon. When Venus is on the other side of the Sun, it is a small and “full” disc (at superior conjunction). At its greatest length from the Sun, Venus has a larger disc and “quarter phase,”. It also appears brightest in the night sky. In telescopic views, the planet appears as a much larger thin “crescent” as it passes between Earth and the Sun. When Venus is between Earth and the Sun, it has its largest size and “new phase” (at inferior conjunction). The halo of sunlight refracted around it makes its atmosphere visible through telescopes. 

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