Hell on Earth is a phrase used by many, but one planet actually matches this idea of a harsh and inhospitable environment – that accolade falls to Venus. The second planet from the Sun is similar in size and density to Earth, with it being only 638 kilometres (396 miles) smaller in diameter and 0.27 grams per cubic centimetre lower in density. These physical dimensions may paint a picture of a world similar to Earth, but that’s far from the case. Venus underwent a different evolution, and its dense atmosphere has fashioned the hottest surface temperature in the entire Solar System at 465 degrees Celsius (869 degrees Fahrenheit), with atmospheric pressures that are over 90 times that of Earth’s at sea level.
Venus’ atmosphere is composed mainly of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, with small amounts of nitrogen
