VENUS



 
 
 

Mean distance from the Sun 108.2 millions Km (67.2 millions of miles) 
Revolution period  224,701 days
Rotational period 243,16 days
Diameter 12180 Km (7568 miles)
Mass (Earth=1)  0.815
Volume (Earth=1) 0.860
Gravity (Earth=1) 0.903
Number of satellites 0
Mean temperature +480 °C at soil, -33 °C at top of clouds.
Minimum distance from the Earth 40 millions Km (24.8 millions of miles)
Maximum distance from the Earth 260 millions Km (161.5 millions of miles)

Generalities: it is the planet that appears brighter in the terrestrial sky, the first star for brightness, after the Sun and the Moon.It is moreover the planet that is next to the Earth , reaching a least distance of about 40 million Km,  about every  17 months.
Venus is an internal planet, which is  next to the Sun, in comparison to the Earth and this enables it to be observable at most for few hours after  sunset or before  dawn.

Characteristics: it is a rocky planet of dimensions very similar to those of the Earth. Its atmosphere is extremely dense and on the ground an atmospheric pressure  approximately 90 times superior to the terrestrial one is reached. The atmosphere on Venus is for the greatest part composed by carbonic anidride and this enables  the greenhouse effect to be extreme; for this reason on the surface of Venus the middle temperature reaches  480 Celsius degrees.
Among the other components of the atmosphere of Venus  compounds of  sulphur are found, and particularly on this planet even rains of sulphuric sour take place.
From  Venus surface  the Sun is never visible , since the dense atmosphere enables Venus to be always covered with a dense blanket of clouds.
All these characteristics make Venus one of the most inhospitable places of the Solar System and therefore surely unsuitable to the development of any form of life.
The motion of rotation around  itself of the planet Venus has two priorities. The former concerns slowness: the day on Venus is longer  than the corresponding year. The latter concerns the direction: Venus moves of retrograde motion, that is contrary to that of the other planets, this means that on Venus the Sun rises  west, getting down  east.

Observation: Venus is unmistakable for its sparkling in the terrestrial sky  (its  magnitude varies from -3.9 to -4.7). It is  possible to observe this planet at most for some hours after  sunset, in the western sky, or before  dawn in the oriental sky. Its angular distance from the Sun never overcomes 46°.
Peculiarity of  internal planets (Venus and Mercury)  is that to introduce the phases, or to show us different portions illuminated of their disk (as it happens for the Moon). Obviously the phases of Venus can be recognized only through a telescope, also of modest power. With a naked eye Venus always appears as a very bright star. This great brightness is owed to the fact that the thick cloudy blanket that surrounds the planet reflects a notable fraction of solar light.
 
 


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- Visibility of planets during this month

- Mutual position of Earth and internal planets

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