While the coldest place in the solar system is located on the moon, the hottest place in the solar system is located on the sun. However, the sun is not a planet, but a star that produces its own heat and light by nuclear fusion.
Therefore, if we exclude the sun and focus on the planets, which one is the hottest in the solar system? And how does it compare with the hottest place on Earth? In this article, we will explore these questions and learn some fascinating facts about the extreme heat of space.
The Hottest Place on Earth
Before we look at the hottest planet in the solar system, let's first see what is the hottest place on Earth. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, California, USA, on July 10, 1913 . This temperature was measured by a ground-based thermometer and verified by historical records.
However, there may be even hotter places on Earth that have not been measured yet. In 2016, a NASA study using satellite data found that several spots in Iran's Lut Desert had temperatures as high as 80.8 °C (177.4 °F) between 2004 and 2009 . These spots are located in a region called Gandom Beryan, which means "burnt wheat" in Persian, and are likely to be hotter than Death Valley because they are lower and more exposed to direct sunlight.
The Hottest Planet in the Solar System
Now that we know what is the hottest place on Earth, let's see what is the hottest planet in the solar system. There are many factors that affect the temperature of a celestial body, such as its distance from the sun, its albedo (reflectivity), its atmosphere (or lack thereof), its rotation and tilt, and its internal heat sources. Therefore, it is not easy to compare temperatures across different planets, moons, asteroids, comets and other objects.
However, based on current data and estimates, there is some consensus among scientists that the hottest planet in the solar system is Venus, not Mercury, which is closer to the sun.
Venus: The Hottest Planet
Venus is the second planet from the sun and has a diameter of about 12,104 km (7,521 miles), which is slightly smaller than Earth's . It was named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty , because it appears as a bright and beautiful star in the sky.
Venus has an average surface temperature of **867 °F (464 °C)** ¹², which is higher than any other planet in the solar system. This temperature is maintained at **all times** and **all places** on Venus , no matter if it is day or night , or if it is at the equator or at the poles . This means that Venus is hotter than Mercury , which has an average surface temperature of **333 °F (167 °C)** ², but can vary from **800 °F (427 °C)** at day to **-290 °F (-179 °C)** at night ².
So what makes Venus hotter than Mercury , despite being farther from the sun ? The answer is its dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid that traps heat and causes a greenhouse effect ¹³⁴.
Venus has an atmosphere that is about 90 times thicker than Earth's , and consists of about 96% carbon dioxide and 3% nitrogen , with traces of sulfur dioxide , water vapor , carbon monoxide , argon , helium , neon , hydrogen chloride , hydrogen fluoride and other gases ¹³. This atmosphere creates a pressure of about 92 bars at the surface of Venus , which is equivalent to being 900 meters (3,000 feet) underwater on Earth ¹³.
The greenhouse effect on Venus works as follows: The sun's rays penetrate through the thick clouds of Venus and reach its surface , where they are absorbed by rocks and soil . The surface then radiates infrared heat back into space , but most of it is blocked by carbon dioxide molecules in
the atmosphere . The carbon dioxide molecules then re-radiate some of this heat back to the surface , creating a cycle of heating that keeps Venus extremely hot ¹³⁴.
The greenhouse effect on Venus is so strong that it overwhelms any other factors that could affect its temperature , such as its distance from the sun , its albedo , its rotation or its tilt . Venus orbits the sun at an average distance of about 108 million km (67 million miles) , which is about 28% closer than Earth's average distance of about 150 million km (93 million miles) ².
However , this difference in distance only accounts for about a factor of two in solar energy received by Venus compared to Earth ⁴. Venus also has an albedo of about 0.75 , which means it reflects about 75% of the sunlight that hits it ². This makes it one of the brightest objects in
the sky , but also reduces its absorption of solar energy by a factor of four compared to Earth , which has an albedo of about 0.3 ⁴.
Venus also rotates very slowly and has almost no tilt . It takes about 243 Earth days for Venus to complete one rotation around its axis , which is longer than its orbital period of about 225 Earth days ². This means that one day-night cycle on Venus lasts longer than one year on Venus ².
Venus also has an axial tilt of only 2.64 degrees , which means it has almost no seasons ². These factors could have made Venus cooler by creating variations in temperature across different regions and times , but they are negligible compared to the greenhouse effect .
Venus also has some internal heat sources that contribute to its high temperature . It has a molten core that generates a weak magnetic field [5][6]. It also has active volcanoes that erupt lava and gases into its atmosphere [7][8]. However , these sources are not enough to explain the extreme heat of Venus by themselves.
Therefore , it is mainly the greenhouse effect that makes Venus the hottest planet in the solar system.
Possible Life Forms
Because of its high temperature and pressure , Venus is considered to be inhospitable to life forms as we know them . The surface of Venus is so hot that it can melt lead, zinc, and tin. The atmosphere of Venus is so dense that it can crush any human-made spacecraft that tries to land on it. The clouds of Venus are so acidic that they can dissolve metal, bone, and flesh.
However, some scientists have speculated that there may be some forms of life that could survive in the upper layers of Venus’ atmosphere, where temperatures are more moderate and pressures are lower. These hypothetical life forms could be microorganisms that float in droplets of sulfuric acid, or biofilms that coat particles of dust.
These life forms could use sunlight as an energy source, and carbon dioxide, water vapor, and sulfur compounds as raw materials. They could also avoid predators and parasites by drifting up or down in response to changes in wind or temperature.
However, there is no direct evidence of life on Venus so far , and many challenges remain for any potential life forms to exist and evolve there . For example , they would have to cope with high levels of ultraviolet radiation , low levels of nutrients, and frequent changes in atmospheric conditions. They would also have to originate from somewhere, either from within Venus or from outside by panspermia (the transfer of life forms between planets by meteorites or spacecrafts).
Therefore, while it is possible that there may be some life forms on Venus , it is highly unlikely and speculative.
Source:
2. solarsystem.nasa.gov
3. bbc.com
4. universetoday.com
5. planetsforkids.org
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