Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love, Aphrodite, is a celestial marvel.

Approximately the size of Earth and accounting for 80% of Earth's mass, it holds the second position from the Sun, completing an orbit every 224.7 Earth days.

Revered as the star of enlightenment or the evening and morning star, Venus's luminosity is unmatched during Earth's sunrise and sunset. Strikingly, Venus lacks moons, and its rotational sidereal day surpasses a full Earth year.

Venus boasts a thick atmosphere, yielding a surface pressure over 90 times that of Earth. Dominated by sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and traces of nitrogen, this atmospheric concoction results in an average surface temperature soaring to nearly 860°F.

Currently, the European Space Agency's Venus Express continues to orbit, revealing the planet's atmospheric lightning and sulfuric acid rain.

Despite Venus and Earth being termed sister planets due to their Earth-like similarities, public confusion persists as Venus has not been a primary target for exploration. As the hottest planet in our solar system, its proximity to the sun is double that of Mercury, receiving only a quarter of its sunlight.

With an average surface temperature reaching 462 degrees Celsius, Venus remains scorching hot throughout the day, rendering it inhospitable to life.

The planet's striking orange sky, tinged with a fiery hue, is veiled by dense clouds reflecting 60% of incoming sunlight into space. This atmospheric phenomenon, coupled with thermal inertia and atmospheric convection, maintains a consistently high temperature on Venus.

The excessive carbon dioxide content, exceeding 96%, induces an intense greenhouse effect. Surprisingly, recent findings of phosphine in Venus's atmosphere, a gas associated with life on Earth, have prompted speculation about potential signs of life.

NASA's upcoming exploration mission, scheduled between 2028-2030, aims to unravel the mysteries of Venus, focusing on its atmosphere and geology. This ambitious endeavor seeks to enhance our understanding of Venus's evolutionary history and unlock the secrets hidden beneath its thick clouds.

Venus, the alluring planetary neighbor, captivates with its mystique and extremes. Revered as the Roman goddess of love, it commands attention with its striking similarities to Earth, constituting 80% of Earth's mass and orbiting the Sun every 224.7 days.

This celestial sibling of Earth, despite its proximity, has remained a relatively unexplored frontier, sparking curiosity and raising questions among the public. Surprisingly, Venus, with its scorching temperatures, has eluded the spotlight of exploration, even though it holds the title of the hottest planet in our solar system.

The average surface temperature of 462 degrees Celsius, and extreme temperatures reaching a blistering 500 degrees Celsius, paint Venus as a hostile and unforgiving environment.

As spacecraft like the European Space Agency's Venus Express continue to orbit, glimpses into Venus's tumultuous atmosphere, characterized by sulfuric acid rain and electrical storms, heighten the intrigue.

The recent discovery of phosphine, a gas associated with life on Earth, adds a layer of complexity to our understanding, fueling speculation about the potential for life in the Venusian atmosphere.

As NASA gears up for an exploration mission between 2028-2030, the veil shrouding Venus's mysteries promises to lift, offering insights into its atmospheric composition, geology, and evolutionary history.