Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It takes about 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun and about 243 Earth days to turn once on its axis, so it completes a whole year before it has finished turning round once. Astronomers consider it the only planet that is behind on its own schedule.^[1]

It also spins backwards compared with most of the other planets, so on Venus the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east, assuming anyone could see it through the clouds, which they could not.

Days and years

Because Venus turns slowly backwards while also going round the Sun, the time from one sunrise to the next on Venus is about 117 Earth days. This is shorter than its year, but longer than any day anyone has wanted. There are therefore two rival definitions of a Venusian day, and two schools of astronomers who each think the other one is very slow.^[2]

• One turn on its axis: about 243 Earth days.
• One year: about 225 Earth days.
• One sunrise to the next: about 117 Earth days.
• One weekend: not defined.

Temperature

Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System, at around 465 °C on the surface, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun. Its thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide traps the heat. Mercury has been informed and has taken it reasonably well.^[3]

Visibility

After the Moon, Venus is the brightest natural object in the night sky. It is often called the Morning Star or the Evening Star, a double name that gives it the rare distinction of being a planet, a star and a time of day while being none of them.

See also

• Sun – which it goes round, eventually
• Day – a much shorter one
• Moon – the only thing brighter at night

References

1. Orbit, O. (1986). Late Again. Planetary Press. p. 243.
2. Sunrise, S. & Sunset, T. (2002). “What Counts as a Day?” Journal of Slow Things 117: 1.
3. Mercury, M. (2010). “Fine, It's Hotter”. Statement.