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Venus, wrapped in its dense, cream-coloured cloud layer
Plate III

Venus

Close to Earth in size, but with an atmosphere of carbon dioxide so dense it drives a runaway greenhouse effect — making it the hottest planet in the system, hotter even than Mercury. It spins backwards, and so slowly that its day is longer than its year.

Diameter12,104 km
Average distance from Sun108.2 million km
Local year225 Earth days
Moons0