1. Atmospheric super-rotation at the upper clouds of Venus. Credit: ESA, JAXA, J. Peralta and R. Hueso 2. New types of cloud morphology on Venus. Credit: ESA, NASA, J. Peralta and R. Hueso
Scientists have used ESA’s Venus Express to characterise the wind and upper cloud patterns on the night side of Venus for the first time–with surprising results. The study shows that the atmosphere on Venus’ night side behaves very differently to that on the side of the planet facing the Sun (the ‘dayside’), exhibiting unexpected and previously-unseen cloud types, morphologies, and dynamics – some of which appear to be connected to features on the planet’s surface.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to characterise how the atmosphere circulates on the night side of Venus on a global scale,” says...
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