• • Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at a distance of about 67 million miles. It falls under the habitable zone of the Sun.
  • • Venus rotates very slowly on its axis – one day on Venus lasts 243 Earth days. The planet orbits the Sun faster than Earth, however, so one year on Venus takes only about 225 Earth days, making a Venusian day longer than its year.
  • • Venus’ thick atmosphere traps heat creating a greenhouse effect. Its surface temperature is hot enough to melt lead.
  • • Venus rotates backward on its axis. This means the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east, opposite of what we see on Earth.
  • • The surface of Venus is dominated by volcanic features and has more volcanoes than any other planet in the Solar System