Venus is hotter than Mercury due to its thick CO2 atmosphere and heat-trapping effects.
Venus reaches about 900°F (480°C), hotter than Mercury’s 800°F (430°C), despite being farther from the Sun.
Key points
From Live Science’s report- Venus, though farther from the Sun, reaches about 900°F (480°C) on its surface.
- Mercury's max temperature is around 800°F (430°C) due to almost no atmosphere.
- Venus' dense carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat, creating a strong greenhouse effect.
- Cloud cover reflects about three-quarters of sunlight, with only ~3% reaching Venus' surface.
- The planet's warmth is sustained by atmospheric processes, not just solar proximity.
Why it matters. Venus’s dense carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat, while Mercury’s near-absent atmosphere cannot sustain comparable warmth.
What to watch. Atmospheric heat retention keeps Venus hot even though its clouds reflect about three-quarters of sunlight.
Coverage
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Oldest first · UTCSourceLive ScienceUnited StatesLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at Live Science“Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, when Mercury is closer to the sun?”
Why it’s in the Brief
Ranked 9th of 10.
- Starting score
- 5.0
- Public-interest topic
- +1.0
- Public-interest terms in the text
- +1.25
- High-reliability sources
- +0.75
- Score
- 8.0
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