In a groundbreaking 2021 flyby, the Parker Solar Probe used its WISPR camera to capture the nightside surface's thermal glow, showing that the ground is so hot it actually shines in visible light. [9, 23] Future Missions to the Inferno
It is the only planet that rotates clockwise on its axis. [31, 44] Venus image
The Enigmatic Glow: Seeing Through the Veil of Venus Venus is often called Earth's twin, but one look at its surface reveals a world that is anything but familiar. Cloaked in a thick, toxic atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid, our neighbor planet has long hidden its secrets behind a dense curtain of clouds. However, recent missions and historic landings have finally allowed us to see what lies beneath. NASA's Venus Gallery offers a stunning collection of these images, ranging from ultraviolet cloud patterns to radar-mapped terrain. [11] The Only Glimpses from the Ground In a groundbreaking 2021 flyby, the Parker Solar
The next decade marks a "Golden Age" for Venus exploration. New missions like VERITAS and DAVINCI aim to create the most detailed maps yet and even drop a probe to sniff the atmosphere. [6, 22] These efforts will help us understand why a planet so similar to Earth in size and composition turned into such a beautiful, yet deadly, inferno. [16, 24] 📍 Cloaked in a thick, toxic atmosphere of carbon
Since visible light can't penetrate the Venusian atmosphere, scientists use specialized instruments to "see" the planet.
The conditions at these landing sites are extreme—temperatures hot enough to melt lead and pressure equivalent to being 3,000 feet underwater. [6, 7] Seeing Through the Clouds