Mean distance from Sun: | 0.72 Astronomical Units 108,200,000 km |
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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.