Venus

Venus is the second nearest planet to the Sun, and the closest planet to Earth. It's the hottest planet in our solar system with surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead. Below the dense, persistent clouds, the surface has volcanoes and deformed mountains.

Venus is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. Venus spins slowly in the opposite direction from most planets.

It takes sunlight about 6 minutes to travel from the Sun to Venus.