Venus is one of the planets in our solar system, specifically the second planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Venus is often referred to as Earth’s “sister planet” due to its similar size, composition, and proximity to the Sun. However, conditions on Venus are vastly different from those on Earth. With a thick atmosphere composed predominantly of carbon dioxide and clouds of sulfuric acid, the surface pressure on Venus is about 92 times that of Earth’s. The planet is shrouded in thick clouds, leading to a “runaway greenhouse effect” which makes it the hottest planet in our solar system, with surface temperatures averaging around 467 degrees Celsius (872 degrees Fahrenheit). Unlike other planets in the solar system, Venus rotates on its axis in the opposite direction to its orbit around the Sun, meaning it has a “retrograde” rotation. This makes a day on Venus longer than its year, as the planet takes about 243 Earth days to complete one rotation, but only 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun.