Venus compared to Earth


 
A comparison of terrestrial planets
 
Venus, Mars and Earth, three out of the four inner or ‘rocky’ planets of the Solar System, have a lot in common – a solid surface you could walk on, a comparable surface composition, an atmosphere and a weather system.

If you are looking for a twin sister to Earth, that would be Venus... or is it?
 
  
 
  VenusEarth
Mass4.87 x 1024 kg5.98 x 1024 kg
Radius6052 km6378 km
Density5250 kg/m35520 kg/m3
Av. distance from Sun108 million km150 million km
Rotation period (day)243 Earth days (retrograde)23 hours 56 minutes
Orbit period (year)224.7 Earth days365.2 days
Surface temp. (mean)465 °C15 °C
Surface pressure90 bar1 bar (sea level)
Albedo (reflectivity)0.760.37
Highest point on surfaceMaxwell Montes
(17 km)		Mount Everest
(8.8 km)
Atmosphere96% CO2 , 3% N278% N2 , 21% O2, 1% Ar
Surface compositionBasalt rock, altered materialsBasalt, granite, altered materials
Orbit inclination3.4°0° by definition
Obliquity of axis178°23.5°
Surface gravity (equator)8.9 m/s29.8 m/s2
MoonsNone1 (The Moon)
   
 
 
  
Last update: 22 February 2008

 •  Looking at Venus (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/index.html)

Launch replay

 •  Venus Express launch (mms://esawms.cdnetworks.net/esawms/wmv/Venus_Express_launch_low.wmv)

Related articles

 •  Venus Express performs flawlessly, LEOP complete (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEMK9UJBWFE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express mission operations update (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESOC/SEM780738FE_0.html)
 •  "Venus Express, give me a GO/NO GO for launch..." (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM6SV638FE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express: ready for lift-off (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEMAWL638FE_0.html)
 •  Green light for Venus Express launcher fuelling (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEMJVL638FE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express countdown activities started (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM93L638FE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express moved back to launch pad (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM24K638FE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express set for transport to launcher assembly building (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM1BB6Y3EE_0.html)
 •  Venus Express mated with upper-stage (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEMTYW5Y3EE_0.html)

More about...

 •  Status reports (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31575 &farchive_objecttypeid=30 &farchive_objectid=30930)
 •  Launch in detail (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31574 &farchive_objecttypeid=31 &farchive_objectid=30928)
 •  Venus Express factsheet (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM2EE1A6BD_0.html)

Related links

 •  Starsem - the Soyuz (http://www.starsem.com/)
 •  Venus Express operations (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM7QMQJNVE_0.html)
 •  Cebreros station webcam (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM26DSMTWE_0.html)