How Do You Make A Space Weather Forecast For Venus?

(Before It's News)

Artist’s concept of Venus Express. Credit: ESA

Here’s another marvel of technology: there are people on Earth who are formulating solar weather forecasts … for Venus. While that sounds counterintuitive — isn’t the sun far away from that planet? — it actually does have a big effect on the planet’s atmosphere. And with Venus Express taking the plunge into the planet’s atmosphere, it’s important to know how the sun is behaving to predict its effect.

As the spacecraft skims the top of the planet’s atmosphere, it’s possible that if an extreme weather event occurs, this could change the orbit from what would be predicted.

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Read the rest of How Do You Make A Space Weather Forecast For Venus? (386 words)

© Elizabeth Howell for Universe Today, 2014. |
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