On Venus, A Day Is Longer Than A Year — And The Sun Rises In The West

Venus completes a full orbit before it finishes one spin. One day there lasts about 243 Earth days. Its year? Only around 225. So by the time Venus has gone once round the Sun, it still hasn't managed a single full rotation. That alone is strange enough — but there's more. Venus spins backwards. Every other planet you can name rises its sun in the east. On Venus, the Sun climbs over the western horizon. Nobody knows for certain why. What we do know is this: its thick atmosphere traps so much heat that the surface sits at around 465 degrees Celsius — hotter than Mercury, despite being further from the Sun. A slow spin, a reversed sky, and enough heat to melt lead. Venus is our nearest neighbour. Follow Deep Field Vault for more of the universe on your doorstep.