Samuel Chiltern answered
Venus is the second-closest planet to the Sun, and has the highest surface temperature of all the planets in the Solar System.
Surface temperatures on Venus can often exceed 460 degrees Celsius, which is more than hot enough to melt lead.
Venus is so hot, partly because of its proximity to the Sun, but also because of its thick atmosphere, which has 90 times the atmospheric pressure of the Earth.
The dense clouds in Venus' atmosphere are made of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. These clouds create a greenhouse effect, trapping the Sun's heat within the atmosphere. This is similar to what we see happening on Earth, but much more extreme.
It is because of this dense atmosphere, and the greenhouse effect, that temperatures on Venus remain constantly high.
The best information I've come across suggests that surface temperatures on the planet can dip to 420 degrees Celsius, and the dense atmosphere maintains consistent temperatures across the planet.
Scientists have struggled to take accurate measurements of Venus' surface conditions, because the hostility of the environment means that probes which have landed on the planet have all been destroyed within a few hours.
Surface temperatures on Venus can often exceed 460 degrees Celsius, which is more than hot enough to melt lead.
Venus is so hot, partly because of its proximity to the Sun, but also because of its thick atmosphere, which has 90 times the atmospheric pressure of the Earth.
The dense clouds in Venus' atmosphere are made of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. These clouds create a greenhouse effect, trapping the Sun's heat within the atmosphere. This is similar to what we see happening on Earth, but much more extreme.
It is because of this dense atmosphere, and the greenhouse effect, that temperatures on Venus remain constantly high.
The best information I've come across suggests that surface temperatures on the planet can dip to 420 degrees Celsius, and the dense atmosphere maintains consistent temperatures across the planet.
Scientists have struggled to take accurate measurements of Venus' surface conditions, because the hostility of the environment means that probes which have landed on the planet have all been destroyed within a few hours.