Venus is a world shrouded in a thick layer of clouds. As such, its surface is a mysterious place that we can’t directly observe. It is the second planet out from the Sun. You may be wondering how far away is Venus from the Sun.
Even though the planet’s surface is not visible, we still know many things about this planet. In this article, we will detail how far the planet is from the Sun. We will also describe the hellish conditions on the surface and explain why it is hotter than the closest planet to the Sun. You’ll also discover other fascinating details about this planet.
The photograph above was taken by the Mariner 10 spacecraft that visited the planet in the early 1970s (NASA).
Venus is, on average, the closest planet to Earth. It is also a similar size and mass to Earth. However, there are some significant differences which we will detail later in the article.
The Orbit of Venus Around the Sun
Before detailing how far Venus is from the Sun, it would be beneficial to describe the planet’s orbit. This is because Venus is not always the same distance from the Sun. It is closer at certain times in the planet’s year than other times.
Like all of the planets in the solar system, Venus has an elliptical orbit. However, it is the closest to circular than any other planet.
How elliptical a planet’s orbit is measured by its eccentricity. This is measured via a ratio indicating how elongated the orbit is. An eccentricity of 0 is perfectly round. Higher numbers represent more elliptical orbits. If you wish to discover more about this, see Orbital Eccentricity on Wikipedia.
The orbit of Venus has an eccentricity of 0.0068. As a comparison, Earth’s eccentricity is 0.0167. The planet with the highest eccentricity is Mercury at 0.2056. Halley’s Comet has a highly elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.96658.
How Far Away Is Venus From The Sun?
Now that you have an understanding that the orbit of Venus is not perfectly round, we can look at how far it is from the Sun.
At its closest Venus is 66,782,000 miles (107,476,000 km) from the Sun, and at is farthest 67,693,000 miles (108,942,000 km). On average, it is 67,237,910 miles (108,208,930 km) from the Sun. In comparison, Earth’s average distance is 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 km).
If you want to use a single distance of the distance from the Sun to Venus then the correct answer is 67,237,910 miles or 108,208,930 km.
Venus’ Length of Year and Day
Planets closer to the Sun must have a shorter year than those farther. Being the closest to the Sun Mercury has a year that is just 88 Earth days. Neptune’s years are the same length as 165 Earth years. While no longer a planet Pluto has a longer year of nearly 248 Earth years.
The length of a Venus year is a little less than 225 Earth days.
Interestingly a Venus day is longer than its year (Venus: Facts). Its day is 243 Earth days long.
Studies indicate that the long Venus day is due to its thick atmosphere. In effect, it has acted like a break on the planet’s rotation. We will have a brief look at the planet’s atmosphere shortly. Others suggest that the Sun’s gravity may have played a part as Mercury also has a long day.
Another disorienting feature of Venus is that it rotates in the opposite direction. If the Earth did this, the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east. For details on why the planets usually rotate in the same direction, see Why Do Planets Orbit The Sun?
Scientists believe that it is not the rotation that has changed but rather the axis on which it rotates has been inverted. It is thought that originally it rotated in the same direction as all the other planets. At some point, the axis has been inverted. While we are not sure this may have occurred due to a collision with another body in the early history of the solar system (Why Venus spins backwards).
The Atmosphere of Venus
The most unique feature of Venus is its atmosphere.
The atmosphere of Venus is composed mostly of carbon dioxide with nitrogen making up most of the remaining gas. At the surface, the pressure is about 92 times greater than on Earth.
The think dense carbon dioxide atmosphere is the result of a greenhouse runaway. The temperature on Venus’ surface is a searing 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius)(How Hot is Venus?). Mercury is closer to the Sun but has day-time temperature of 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius).
Clouds of mostly sulfuric acid droplets exist between 48 miles (48 km) in altitude to 42 miles (62 km). At these altitudes, the conditions approach those similar to Earth. In fact, they are the most similar conditions to Earth in the whole solar system. For this reason, it has been proposed that it may be conducive to life.
Given the extreme conditions on Venus you would be excused if you thought that we have never placed a spacecraft on the planet’s surface. However, in the 1970s and ’80s the USSR placed several spacecraft on the planet’s surface under the Venera program. Due to the conditions, none of the landers survived for long. The longest operating time was provided by Venera 13, which transmitted data for 127 minutes. It was expected to last for 30 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Venus is the second planet away from the Sun and at a distance of 67,237,910 miles (108,208,930 km).
The planet is the closest to Earth and the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. Its brightness is further enhanced by the highly reflective clouds in the planet’s atmosphere.
We have discovered that Venus’s day is longer than its years. It also rotates in an opposite direction as all the other planets.
The atmosphere on Venus is thick and dense. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere produces a strong greenhouse effect that makes it the hottest planet in the atmosphere. However, at high elevations, conditions are right for life to develop.
I found astronomy while working in dark rural locations. Initially, I explored the night sky and learnt the constellations before purchasing a pair of binoculars to further my knowledge of the sky.
My first telescope was a 200 mm Newtonian reflector on an equatorial mount. I found that this telescope had a steep learning curve but was a rewarding experience.
As time progressed, I became interested in astrophotography. This resulted in purchasing a 110 mm refracting telescope and a dedicated monochrome-cooled astronomical camera. This resulted in another very rewarding steep learning curve that far surpassed the experience with my first telescope.
I have joined Telescope Guru to share my knowledge of telescopes and astronomy.
