Venus remains the Solar System's hottest planet due to greenhouse effect

Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System, maintaining surface temperatures of approximately 464°C to 467°C, despite being located nearly 50 million kilometers farther from the Sun than Mercury.

This temperature paradox is driven by a runaway greenhouse effect caused by an extremely dense atmosphere composed of 96% carbon dioxide. While Mercury receives more solar energy, its lack of an atmosphere allows heat to escape quickly, leading to extreme temperature swings between 430°C during the day and -180°C at night. In contrast, Venus's thick carbon dioxide blanket traps infrared radiation, preventing heat from escaping and maintaining a nearly constant, furnace-like environment.

Beyond extreme heat, the atmospheric pressure on Venus is comparable to the force found nearly one kilometer beneath Earth's oceans. Atmospheric circulation also moves energy between the day and night sides, ensuring minimal temperature variation across the planet's surface.