Introduction: Venus, the second planet closest to the Sun and Earth's closest neighbor, is known for its many wonders and harsh conditions. Venus is perhaps the first planet discovered by man and is believed to have been first discovered in 17 BC by Babylonian astronomers. Venus is the first planet to be explored by a spacecraft, although many of these attempts have proven unsuccessful. Fortunately, more than twenty spacecraft explorations have been successful and through these we have gained knowledge about this wonder of the night sky. Characteristics: Known as "Earth's twin", Venus is very similar to Earth in terms of composition, size, mass, and gravity. However, their temperatures are not that similar. The average temperature on Venus is 460 degrees Celsius (864 degrees Fahrenheit), as opposed to the 14 degrees Celsius (58.3 degrees Fahrenheit) we experience on Earth. Needless to say, this would not be an ideal vacation spot. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, thanks to the runaway greenhouse effect. The atmosphere of Venus is also very different from that of Earth. It is composed of 97% carbon dioxide and 3% sulfuric acid, with an atmospheric pressure ninety-two times that of Earth. This pressure would be the same as that exerted in the lowest depths of the ocean on Earth. However, like Earth, Venus is one of the four terrestrial planets, meaning it has a rocky surface and an area of ​​177.7 million square kilometers. The gravity, which is 8.87 meters per second, is very similar to that of Earth. Its mass is also very similar, 4.867E24 kilograms and a density of 5.20 grams per centimeter. Unlike most planets in the solar system, Venus has no rings or moons. "Named after Roman goddesses... middle of paper...... European Space Agency." ESA, November 28, 2007. Web. April 30, 2014. .Braun, Bruce. “Is there life on Venus?.” Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, July 3, 2013. Web. April 30, 2014. "Nineplanets.org - Nineplanets - Ideasurl." . Nine Planets, nd Web. April 30, 2014. “Venus: Overview.” Exploration of the solar system. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, nd Web. April 30, 2014. “Venus, second planet after the Sun, brightest planet in the solar system. » Espace.com. Np, and Web. April 30. 2014. .