The conditions at these landing sites are extreme—temperatures hot enough to melt lead and pressure equivalent to being 3,000 feet underwater. [6, 7] Seeing Through the Clouds
Despite being further from the Sun than Mercury, its greenhouse effect makes it hotter. [6, 31] Venus image
Since visible light can't penetrate the Venusian atmosphere, scientists use specialized instruments to "see" the planet. The Enigmatic Glow: Seeing Through the Veil of
The Enigmatic Glow: Seeing Through the Veil of Venus Venus is often called Earth's twin, but one look at its surface reveals a world that is anything but familiar. Cloaked in a thick, toxic atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid, our neighbor planet has long hidden its secrets behind a dense curtain of clouds. However, recent missions and historic landings have finally allowed us to see what lies beneath. NASA's Venus Gallery offers a stunning collection of these images, ranging from ultraviolet cloud patterns to radar-mapped terrain. [11] The Only Glimpses from the Ground NASA's Venus Gallery offers a stunning collection of
Provided the first color panoramas, revealing a world of orange-tinted soil and jagged volcanic stones. [29, 35]
Instruments often use UV filters to see the swirling patterns of the upper clouds, which move at speeds over 200 mph. [7, 30]
It is the only planet that rotates clockwise on its axis. [31, 44]