10. What have we learned from photos of Venus? (A K2S Question)

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Before radio observations in the 1960s, many believed that Venus had a lush, Earth-like environment because of the planet's size and its thick layer of clouds. These clouds prevented astronomers from seeing the planet's surface, sparking speculations that Venus had a jungle- like environment or that it had oceans of either petroleum or carbonated water. The numerous unmanned missions to Venus have revealed that it is a barren, toxic inferno because the clouds covering the planet do not let heat escape—causing the planet to get hotter. This phenomenon is called a runaway greenhouse effect.

Answer provided by Laura Peckyno & Robert Peckyno


Image:K2S logosmall.jpg Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer


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