15 APR. 2003
publication date
187864
Views
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?
| Venus | Earth |
|---|---|---|
Mass | 4.87 x 1024 kg | 5.98 x 1024 kg |
Radius | 6052 km | 6378 km |
Density | 5250 kg/m3 | 5520 kg/m3 |
Av. distance from Sun | 108 million km | 150 million km |
Rotation period (day) | 243 Earth days (retrograde) | 23 hours 56 minutes |
Orbit period (year) | 224.7 Earth days | 365.2 days |
Surface temp. (mean) | 465 °C | 15 °C |
Surface pressure | 90 bar | 1 bar (sea level) |
Albedo (reflectivity) | 0.76 | 0.37 |
Highest point on surface | Maxwell Montes (17 km) | Mount Everest (8.8 km) |
Atmosphere | 96% CO2 , 3% N2 | 78% N2 , 21% O2, 1% Ar |
Surface composition | Basalt rock, altered materials | Basalt, granite, altered materials |
Orbit inclination | 3.4° | 0° by definition |
Axial tilt (obliquity) | 178° | 23.5° |
Surface gravity (equator) | 8.9 m/s2 | 9.8 m/s2 |
Moons | None | 1 (The Moon) |
Media modal
Share this page
stay updated
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news, mission updates, and exclusive insights directly in your inbox. Be the first to know about our upcoming projects and breakthroughs.