Venus: “The Bright Morning

Star”

Jaye R. Cashen

Basic Facts about Venus Venus is named after the

roman goddess of love and beauty

Located between Earth and Mercury

Covered with thick clouds that create a greenhouse effect, causing it to become very hot

Temperature ranges from 900F+/-50F

At its closest, Venus is 41,840,000 km away from earth

Atmosphere

It’s atmosphere contains 95% Carbon dioxide, the other 5% contains nitrogen, sulfuric acid, and traces of other elements

It’s surface has a rocky, dusty, waterless expanse of mountains, canyons, and plains with a 200 mile river of hardened lava

Why does it have a Special Name?Venus is the brightest object

in the sky besides our Sun and Moon. It has an apparent magnitude of -4.6 (bright enough to cast shadows) It is referred to as the bright morning star because at sunrise it appears in the east . It is also known as the evening star because it appears in the west at sunset. Venus cannot be seen in the middle of the night.

Our Retrograde Sister

Being different from other planets, Venus rotates from east to west, engaging in retrograde motion. So if you were on Venus, the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east.

Venus is very similar to the size of the earth, which is the reason why Venus is known as Earth’s sister planet.

Possible Internal StructureThe similarity in size between Venus and Earth might

suggest that they share a similar internal structure consisting of a core, mantel, and crust. Venus’s core is believed to be partially liquid because the two planets have been cooling at the same rate

Pressures could be a lot lower in it’s deep interior than earth, which explains its slightly smaller size

Changes of Venus Venus’s average distance

from the sun is 67.2 million miles.

It travels around the sun in a nearly circular orbit

When seen through a telescope, “changes” can be seen, which are phases resembling those of the moon

When Venus is moving toward the earth, it can be seen in early evening. When moving away from earth, it is visible in the early morning.

New Technology and Observations Until recently, what geologists knew about the

surface of Venus came from ground based radar observations, the Soviet Unions Venera space probes and the USA’s Pioneer probes. In 1990, the U.S launched the space probe Magellan, which began orbiting Venus, using radar to map the planets surface.

Well, hello there Hottie!Venus is by far the hottest planet!The temperature of it’s clouds averages to 55 degrees F, but the

temperature of the surface is about 870 F, which is hotter than an oven.

No plants or animals that live on earth could survive on Venus and Astronomers doubt that there could ever be any life on Venus.

What is a Greenhouse Effect? Venus’ high surface

temperature is believed to be a cause of a greenhouse effect. A greenhouse lets in energy from the sun, but prevents the heat from escaping. Likewise, the Sun’s energy filters into Venus’ atmosphere but the droplets of sulfuric acid in its clouds and the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trap the solar energy at the planets surface

Other Interesting FactsVenus was the 1st planet to be

observed by a passing spacecraft. The U.S Mariner 2 passed within 21,600 miles on Dec 14, 1962. They measured conditions on and near Venus.

Mass is four 5ths that of earth and gravity is slightly less than earth . Example: an object weighing 100lbs on earth would weigh 88lbs on Venus

Venus has been a known planet for quite some time, there are many references to “the bright morning star “ in the bible in relation to Jesus.