Venus, our mysterious planetary neighbor, continues to enrapture scientists and space enthusiasts alike.

Often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size, this cloud-shrouded world holds secrets that might surprise you. But despite some surface similarities, Venus presents a dramatically different environment from our home planet.

Its hellish temperatures can melt lead, while its crushing atmospheric pressure would instantly flatten an unprotected human visitor. From its backward rotation to its bizarre weather patterns, Venus defies expectations at every turn.

Whether you’re a casual stargazer or a dedicated astronomy buff, these lesser-known facts about the second planet from the sun will transform how you view our solar system.

Ready to scout the extraordinary world next door?

Reasons Why Venus Is Often Called Earth’s Twin

Venus and Earth share several similarities, leading scientists to call Venus Earth’s twin. However, despite these common traits, they have stark differences that make Venus a harsh and inhospitable world.

Here’s why they are often compared:

Similar Size and Mass

• Venus is nearly the same size as Earth, with a diameter of 7,520 miles (12,104 km)—about 95% of Earth’s diameter.
• It also has a mass that is about 81% of Earth’s, making it the closest in size among all planets in our solar system.

Comparable Gravity

• Venus has about 90% of Earth’s gravity, meaning if you weighed 100 pounds on Earth, you’d weigh 90 pounds on Venus.
• This similarity in gravitational force is another reason scientists compare them.

Similar Internal Structure

• Both planets have a rocky composition with a metallic core, a mantle, and a crust.
• This suggests they may have formed from similar planetary materials in the early solar system.

Atmosphere and Weather Patterns

• Venus has a thick atmosphere, like Earth, but it is composed mostly of carbon dioxide (96%) with clouds of sulfuric acid.
• While Earth’s atmosphere supports life, Venus’ extreme greenhouse effect makes it the hottest planet in the solar system.

Geological Features

• Venus has mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and vast plains, similar to Earth’s geography.
• Maxwell Montes, the tallest mountain on Venus, is comparable to Earth’s tallest peaks.

Distance from the Sun

• Venus is only one step closer to the Sun than Earth, receiving more solar radiation.
• This contributes to its extreme temperatures but still places it in what scientists call the “inner edge” of the habitable zone.

Possible Past Similarities

• Scientists believe Venus may have had liquid water billions of years ago, similar to early Earth.
• A runaway greenhouse effect likely evaporated any oceans, turning it into a hostile environment.

Here’s a side-by-side look at the key differences between Earth and Venus:

This comparison highlights why Venus is often considered Earth’s twin—but also why it’s far from being a second home.

Venus Facts That Will Surprise You

1. Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is often called Earth’s “sister planet” due to their similar size and mass.

2. It has the hottest surface temperature of any planet in our solar system, reaching up to 900°F (475°C)—hot enough to melt lead.

3. Venus rotates backward compared to most planets, meaning the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.

4. A day on Venus (one full rotation) lasts 243 Earth days, making it longer than its year, which is 225 Earth days.

5. The planet is covered in a thick atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide, with clouds of sulfuric acid.

6. Venus has crushing atmospheric pressure, about 92 times greater than Earth’s, equivalent to being 3,000 feet underwater.

7. Unlike Earth, Venus has no moons or rings.

8. The planet’s bright appearance comes from its thick, reflective cloud cover, making it the third-brightest object in Earth’s sky after the Sun and Moon.

9. Venus’ surface features thousands of volcanoes, with some potentially still active today.

10. It has mountains, vast plains, and highland regions, including Maxwell Montes, the highest peak at 36,000 feet (11 km)—taller than Mount Everest.

11. The planet’s winds can reach up to 224 mph (360 km/h), faster than a Category 5 hurricane.

12. Despite its thick clouds, Venus does not experience rainfall as its high temperatures vaporize liquid before it can reach the ground.

13. Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

14. The ancient Babylonians recorded Venus’ movements as early as 1600 BCE.

15. Early astronomers thought Venus was two separate objects, calling it the “Morning Star” and the “Evening Star.”

16. Venus was the first planet mapped using radar, thanks to the Magellan spacecraft in the 1990s.

17. The first successful Venus flyby was NASA’s Mariner 2 in 1962, making it the first planet scouted by a spacecraft.

18. The Soviet Union’s Venera program landed several probes on Venus, with Venera 13 surviving for 127 minutes before being destroyed by the extreme heat and pressure.

19. Venus was once thought to have oceans and possibly life, but further research revealed it to be a hostile environment.

20. Scientists believe Venus may have had Earth-like conditions billions of years ago before a runaway greenhouse effect transformed it.

21. Some researchers speculate microbial life could exist in Venus’ upper atmosphere, where conditions are more temperate.

22. The planet’s surface is relatively young, estimated to be only 300–500 million years old, due to volcanic resurfacing.

23. No spacecraft has successfully landed on Venus since 1985, but new missions are planned for the 2030s.

24. The thick atmosphere causes a super-rotating effect, where winds move much faster than the planet itself.

25. Venus’ atmospheric pressure and high temperatures make it one of the most challenging planets to research.

Myths About Venus Debunked by Science

Venus has captured human imagination for centuries, but several misconceptions have taken root in popular culture.

Let’s separate fact from fiction about our planetary neighbor:

1. Venus Appears Brightest Because It’s Closest to Earth

Venus does shine as the brightest planet, but not because of proximity alone.

Its high albedo (reflectiveness) due to thick cloud cover reflects about 75% of sunlight, making it exceptionally bright even when not at its closest approach to Earth.

2. Venus Rotates Like Other Planets

Unlike most planets that spin counterclockwise, Venus rotates clockwise—a phenomenon called retrograde rotation. Even stranger, a Venusian day lasts longer than its year!

Venus takes 243 Earth days to complete one rotation but only 225 Earth days to orbit the sun.

3. the Clouds on Venus Are Like Earth’s

Venus’s clouds consist primarily of sulfuric acid, not water vapor like Earth’s.

These highly corrosive clouds would quickly dissolve human skin and metal. They’re so thick that if you stood on Venus’s surface (ignoring the crushing pressure and heat), you’d experience perpetual dim orange light, never darkness or bright daylight.

4. Venus’s Weather Is Calm Because of Cloud Cover

Despite its seemingly peaceful appearance, Venus experiences hurricane-force winds reaching 224 mph (360 km/h) in its upper atmosphere, circling the planet in just four Earth days.

Wrapping It Up

Venus reminds us that appearances can be deceiving.

Though it shimmers beautifully in our night sky, it harbors one of the most extreme environments in our solar system.

Our journey through these 25 facts reveals a world of contradictions—a planet that rotates backward, where lead would melt on the surface, and acid rains from the sky. Yet studying Venus offers valuable insights about our own planet’s climate and evolution.

As space agencies plan new missions to this hostile neighbor, we stand at the threshold of finding out even more secrets hidden beneath those sulfuric clouds. Venus challenges us to look beyond our assumptions and appreciate the stunning diversity of worlds in our cosmic backyard.

The more we learn about Venus, the better we understand our place in the universe.