Earth Sciences 1086F/G Lecture Notes - Sulfur Dioxide, Venus Express, Lava Field
20 Apr 2014
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Document Summary
Not much can be seen from telescope cause looking @ top layer of cloud. About same size as earth (0. 95 percent the diameter of earth) Venus express = european space agency, launched in 2005 and is collecting data. About 108 million km/ 0. 72 au from the sun. Revolves around sun in a slightly elliptical orbit that is the most circular of any planet. Orbital path of venus = almost same plan as earth, differs just under 3 and half degrees. Rotates in a clockwise/retrograde motion very slowly, one complete rotation in every 243 earth days. Sun rises in the west and sets in the east. Covered in thick blanket of clouds (=droplets of liquid/solid sulfur and droplets of sulphuric acid) Atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide (96. 5), nitrogen (3. 5), water vapour (0. 1-0. 4) sulfur dioxide (0. 01) and free oxygen (60ppm) Venus once had abundant water but has since lost it. Atmosphere pressure at surface 90 times greater than on earth.
