Hello, I'm Dr. Emily Carter, a planetary scientist specializing in the study of Venus. I've dedicated my career to understanding this fascinating planet, particularly its incredibly hot and dense atmosphere.

Your question about the surface temperature of Venus is a great one! It's well-known that Venus is an incredibly hot planet, but the exact surface temperature is a bit more nuanced.

To understand why Venus is so hot, we need to consider a few key factors:

* The Greenhouse Effect: Venus has a very dense atmosphere, composed primarily of carbon dioxide (CO2). This thick atmosphere traps heat from the Sun, creating a runaway greenhouse effect. Imagine a greenhouse on Earth – sunlight enters, warms the interior, and the glass traps the heat, making it much warmer inside. Venus's atmosphere acts in a similar way, but on a much larger scale.
* Distance from the Sun: While Venus is closer to the Sun than Earth, this alone isn't enough to explain its extreme temperature. The runaway greenhouse effect is the primary driver of Venus's high surface temperature.
* Slow Rotation: Venus rotates very slowly, completing one rotation in about 243 Earth days. This means that one side of the planet is constantly facing the Sun, which contributes to the overall heat build-up.

The surface temperature of Venus is consistently measured at an astounding **867 degrees Fahrenheit (464 degrees Celsius)**. This makes it the hottest planet in our solar system, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun.

It's important to note that this temperature is an average. There are slight variations in surface temperature depending on location and time of day. However, the overall heat is incredibly intense, making it impossible for humans or most known life forms to survive on the surface of Venus.

To put this temperature into perspective, imagine trying to melt lead. The melting point of lead is 621 degrees Fahrenheit (327 degrees Celsius). Venus is hotter than that! This extreme heat is one of the major reasons why exploring Venus is such a challenging endeavor.

Despite the extreme heat, scientists continue to study Venus using probes and spacecraft, hoping to learn more about its atmosphere, geology, and potential past habitability. Understanding Venus helps us better understand the potential for life on other planets and the conditions that can lead to runaway greenhouse effects.

I hope this helps answer your question! If you have any further questions about Venus, feel free to ask.
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The average temperature on Venus is 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius). Temperature changes slightly traveling through the atmosphere, growing cooler farther away from the surface. Lead would melt on the surface of the planet, where the temperature is around 872 F (467 C).read more >>