The Atmosphere of Venus
First thought to be water clouds, then studies from Earth
showed lots of carbon dioxide.
Then space missions (Venera,
Pioneer) gave a more detailed view of the atmosphere, through
atmospheric probes.
Chemical Composition:
-
96% Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
-
3.5% Nitrogen (N2)
-
Trace amounts of neon, argon, and sulfur
-
Clouds of sulphuric acid (H2SO4 - Battery
acid!)
Surface Pressure: 90 atmospheres!
Surface Temperature: 740 K! (above
melting point of lead - yikes!)
What's it like on the ground? The view from Venera 13:
