Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the closest planetary match to Earth in size, but its surface conditions are radically different. A dense carbon-dioxide atmosphere drives a runaway greenhouse effect that makes Venus hotter than Mercury, even though it orbits farther from the Sun.
Scale Comparison
Earth and Venus are the closest size match among the major planets: Earth is only about 5% wider.
Their similar dimensions did not produce similar surfaces. Venus has a dense carbon-dioxide atmosphere, crushing surface pressure and temperatures high enough to melt lead.
Objects
Object details and sources
Earth is the largest of the four rocky planets and the only world known to host life. Liquid water has covered most of its surface for billions of years, shaping both its geology and its atmosphere.
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About
Scale of Space is a scroll-based journey through the universe, placing objects on a single logarithmic scale so you can compare size across an unbroken range.
Guides explain selected parts of that range, while focused views filter the objects by subject.