Hello, I'm an expert in astronomy with a passion for exploring the intricacies of our solar system. When it comes to the hottest and coldest planets, we're talking about extreme temperatures that are quite fascinating.

The hottest planet in our solar system is Venus. Despite being the second planet from the Sun, it holds the title for the hottest due to its thick atmosphere, which is composed mainly of carbon dioxide with a small amount of nitrogen. This atmosphere creates a strong greenhouse effect, trapping heat and causing surface temperatures to rise to an average of about 460°C (860°F). This is even hotter than Mercury, which is closer to the Sun but lacks a substantial atmosphere to retain heat.

On the other end of the spectrum, the coldest planet is Neptune. Even though it's the farthest planet from the Sun, it's not the coldest due to its composition and the fact that it receives very little sunlight. Neptune's blue color comes from the methane in its atmosphere, which absorbs red light and reflects blue light. The coldest natural place in the solar system is actually the moon of Neptune, Triton, where temperatures can drop to -391°F (-235°C). However, if we're talking about the planets themselves, Neptune's average temperature is the lowest, around -214°C (-353°F).

So, to summarize:
- Hottest Planet: Venus with an average surface temperature of 460°C (860°F).
- Coldest Planet: Neptune with an average temperature of -214°C (-353°F).

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Venus has the hottest surface temperature (+864�� F). Its very thick carbon dioxide atmosphere and sulfuric acid clouds act as a heat trap. This is called the greenhouse effect. Neptune, because of its distance from the sun, would possess the coldest atmospheric temperatures (-364�� F).read more >>