Venus

Venus


Mean distance from Sun: 0.72 Astronomical Units
108,200,000 km
Diameter: 12,100 km
Mass: 0.95 Earths
Density: 5.2 grams per cubic centimeter
Surface temperature: 900 F
Orbital period: 226 days
Rotational period: 243 days

Venus, the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and the Moon, is often visible for several hours just after sunset or before sunrise (hence it's name as the "Evening" or "Morning" star.) Visited by spacecraft from both the U.S.A and U.S.S.R, much of the surface has been mapped by radar. When viewed with a small telescope, Venus exhibits phases like the Moon and larger instruments may reveal details in the thick clouds covering the entire planet.