Question #1 – What is the hottest planet in our Solar System?

Answer: Did you guess Mercury because it is closest to the Sun? The correct answer is Venus. The dense atmosphere of Venus allows sunlight in, which heats up the ground. The atmosphere acts as a blanket, trapping that heat and further heating up the surface. This “greenhouse effect” heats the surface of Venus to 870 °F (465 °C)! By comparison, Mercury reaches a maximum of only 800 °F (425 °C).

Could this be Earth’s future?

For more information about Venus, please read this article at Space.com

Global radar view of Venus (without the clouds) from Magellan between 1990 and 1994. Photo Credit: NASA