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Venus, very high temperatures day and night

The temperature at the surface of Venus is very high (737 K=474 °C) and hardly varies from the sunlit side to the night side. The temperature of the ground is close to 460 °C.

The temperature profile between 0 and 100 kilometres is noticeably different from that of the Earth (see illustration). In the case of the Earth, one sees a temperature inversion at about 12 kilometres altitude, where the temperature starts to rise with altitude, attaining a maximum at 45 kilometres (the zone of positive thermal gradient defines the stratosphere).

This temperature is due to:

  • the Sun’s proximity
  • the clouds on Venus that reflect a large part of the incident light back into space, such that the net energy flux at the surface of Venus is less than that received on the Earth

More details about "Temperature and greenhouse effect on planet Venus"

Venus and Earth atmosphere. Credits: Pearson Education
Temperature as a function of altitude comparison in the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, Earth. Credits BIRA-IASB.
Evolution of the temperature as a function of altitude.