This rendering shows a cutaway
view of the possible internal
structure of Venus. The image
used for the outer atmospheric
layer was created from 10 images
taken by the Mariner spacecraft.
Venus Inside and Out
• Venus is the second planet from the
Sun, and is Earth's closest neighbor
in the solar system. Venus is the
brightest object in the sky after the
Sun and the Moon, and sometimes
looks like a bright star in the morning
or evening sky. The planet is slightly
smaller than Earth, and its interior is
similar to Earth.
Venus inside and out
• We can't see the surface of Venus from Earth,
because it is covered with thick clouds that
strongly reflect sunlight. However, space missions
to Venus have shown us that its surface is
covered with craters, over 1600 major volcanoes,
mountains, large highland terrains, and vast lava
plains. The surface of Venus is not where you'd
like to be, with temperatures reaching more than
450C (approaching 900F - high enough to melt
lead), an atmosphere 90 times heavier than our
own, and clouds of sulfuric acid floating around
to top it off!
The atmosphere of Venus is composed of
about 96% carbon dioxide, with most of the
remainder being nitrogen. The atmosphere
appears to be relatively clear until the cloud
deck starts about 50 km above the surface.
The clouds are composed of sulphuric acid and
various other corrosive compounds, and the
atmosphere contains little water.
Video
• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&
esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8
&ved=0CB0QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fw
ww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D76m7YM
arYp0&ei=7H4tVcyJGISpNoClgKAF&usg=AFQjC
NGi19O9ZUAP6sPMJOt3pBaYBFdH_w&bvm=b
v.90790515,d.eXY
This rendering shows a cutaway view
of the possible internal structure of
Venus. The image used for the outer
atmospheric layer was created from
10 images taken by the Mariner
spacecraft.