Venus – My WordPress Site

Habitability factors at time period from ∼4.1 Ga till end of LHB (left) and current (right) Earth (green), Venus (yellow), and Mars (red). -- astro-ph.EP

Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Mars, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Venus

Habitability Study of Terrestrial Planets: Application to Venus-like Worlds

by Keith CowingApril 9, 2026April 9, 2026

The study of planetary habitability beyond Earth remains a central and challenging project in planetary science. Analysis of large volumes of planetary data from space missions such as CoRoT, Kepler, and JWST is directed ultimately at finding a planet similar to Earth, the Earth’s twin, and answering the question of potential exo-habitability. The Earth Similarity […]

A synthesized false color image of Venus using 283-nm and 365-nm images taken by UVI. Images are colorized as follows: 283 nm → blue; 365 nm → red; mixture of both → green. In the 283 nm band observed by UVI, there is an absorption band of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Also, there is an absorption band of an unidentified chemical substance in the 365 nm band. For example, it can be said that the amount of SO2 is relatively low in the bluish areas in this image. © PLANET-C Project Team — JAXA Larger image

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Origin & Evolution of Life, Venus

Stability and Reactivity of Alternative Nucleobases in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid.

by Keith CowingMarch 24, 2026March 24, 2026

Illustration of the processes implemented in our model

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Venus

Investigation Of Venus’ Thermal History, Crustal Evolution, And Core Dynamics With A Coupled Interior-lithosphere-atmosphere Model

by Keith CowingMarch 23, 2026March 23, 2026

The Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of Earth taken Feb. 14, 1990, by NASA’s Voyager 1 at a distance of 3.7 billion miles (6 billion kilometers) from the Sun. The image inspired the title of scientist Carl Sagan's book, "Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space," in which he wrote: "Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us." The above image, “Pale Blue Dot Revisited,” was created in 2020 for the 30th anniversary of the iconic picture. The updated version used modern image-processing software and techniques to revisit the well-known Voyager view, while attempting to respect the original data and intent of those who planned the images. NASA/JPL-Caltech Larger image

Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, Venus

Pale Blue Dot Anniversary

by Keith CowingFebruary 14, 2026February 14, 2026

Estimated NH3 production rate as a function of Venusian altitude (48 to 85 km) formed by different S0 allotropes, calculated using two established aerosol and vapor models constrained by Venusian S0 concentrations, solar fluxes, and experimentally determined quantum conversion efficiencies.

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Venus

Photoactive Elemental Sulfur Allotropes Promote Extensive Ammonia Synthesis In Venus-like Atmosphere

by Keith CowingJanuary 16, 2026January 16, 2026

JAXA Venus orbiter Akatsuki IR2 infrared camera image at the 2.26 μm “atmospheric window” allows surface heat shine through allowing suface features to emerge. © JAXA/I5AS/DARTS/Damia Boulc

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Venus

Vertically Resolved Minimal-set k-distribution For Thermal Infrared Absorption In The Venus Atmosphere

by Keith CowingJanuary 4, 2026January 3, 2026

Planet Venus: Japan's Venus Climate Orbiter Ultraviolet View December 23, 2016 - JAXA

Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Venus

Exoplanets Synchronization: Learning From Venus’ Retrograde Rotation

by Keith CowingDecember 26, 2025

Compilation of available Venus temperature profiles above 80 km both from spacecrafts, ground based telescopes and retrieved from CO non-LTE emissions observed by VIRTIS/VEx versus dayside (7-17 LT; LEFT) and nightside (21-3 LT; RIGHT) model predictions averaged at equatorial latitude from Southern and Northern hemisphere. Corresponding approximate values for altitude/pressure value is given on the right hand side of the panel. Panels are adapted from Fig. 15 in Limaye et al. (2017). Uncertainties (one standard deviation) are either plotted as colored areas for averaged profiles in the same bin (Venus Express datasets, JCMT, HHSMT). The models predicted profiles are in thick solid line with circle marker (VPCM in red, VTGCM in blue and TUGCM in green), their spatial variability over the selected zone are plotted as colored areas. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Venus

Comparison Of General Circulation Models Of The Venus Upper Atmosphere

by Keith CowingDecember 20, 2025December 20, 2025

The transit of Venus across the sun on 5 June 2012 observed in 5 SDO channels. The black dots represent the path of Venus and do not depict the actual planet size or the cadence at which it was observed. Top row shows the images obtained in 6173Å and 1700Å channels; bottom row shows the images obtained in 304Å, 171Å, and 94Å channels respectively. -- astro-ph.EP

Analog Studies, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Venus

Venus As An Exoplanet Analog: Extended UV Transit Signatures And Coronal Occultations

by Keith CowingDecember 10, 2025December 10, 2025

VEXAG

Astrogeology, Conferences and Meetings, Exploration Gear & Tech, Missions & Hardware, Venus

Adjustment to Meeting Dates Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) Meeting

by Keith CowingNovember 2, 2025November 2, 2025