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Astronomy Image of the Day

Ultraviolet Venus Credit:

07 May 1997

Author not provided

NASA Astronomy Image of the Day for 07 May 1997

The forecast for Venus is cloudy, cloudy, cloudy. Although similar to the Earth in size and mass, Venus' slightly closer orbit to the Sun create for it a much thicker atmosphere and a much hotter surface. The thick atmosphere was photographed above in ultraviolet light in 1979 by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter. Whether or not Venus has a moon was the center of a great controversy in the 1700s and 1800s. Today we know Venus has no natural satellites. Venus's extremely uncomfortable climate was likely caused by a runaway greenhouse effect. Could Earth ever undergo runaway greenhouse heating like Venus?

Image and explanation courtesy of NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Ultraviolet Venus Credit: | APOD | AstroDelta