Why is Venus called Earth's twin?
Quick Answer
Venus is called Earth's twin because it is almost the same size, mass and rocky make-up as Earth — but its surface is a crushing, scorching hothouse.
The Full Story
Venus has a diameter of about 12,104 km, roughly 95% of Earth's, and a mass about 82% of Earth's, with a similar rocky composition. It is also the planet whose orbit comes closest to Earth's. The similarities end there: Venus's thick carbon dioxide atmosphere produces a surface pressure about 92 times that of Earth. A runaway greenhouse effect heats the surface to around 465°C, hotter than Mercury, beneath clouds of sulphuric acid. Venus also spins backwards very slowly, taking about 243 Earth days to rotate once, longer than its 225-day year.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Earth's evil twin — how a planet so similar to ours became a hellscape."