Ellie’s Visit to Venus
One evening, Ellie sat by her window, looking up at the bright evening sky. She knew that Venus, the planet closest to Earth, often shone brightly in the evening. Curious to learn more, Ellie closed her eyes, and suddenly, she was floating through space again. When she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with a planet that glowed in shades of yellow and gold.
“Hello, Ellie,” said a warm, gentle voice. “I’m Venus, your closest neighbor and the brightest planet in your night sky.”
Ellie smiled in wonder. “Hi, Venus! You look so beautiful with all those golden clouds. Why are you so bright?”
Venus chuckled. “Well, I have thick clouds made mostly of sulfuric acid. They reflect sunlight, making me shine brightly in your sky. My atmosphere is very thick and traps a lot of heat, which makes me the hottest planet in the solar system—even hotter than Mercury!”
Ellie’s eyes widened. “Wow, so you’re even hotter than Mercury, even though you’re farther from the Sun?”
“That’s right,” Venus replied. “It’s because of the greenhouse effect. My clouds trap heat, creating temperatures that stay over 850 degrees Fahrenheit. My surface is rocky, but with temperatures like that, it’s too hot for people or plants.”
Ellie thought about the warmest summer days on Earth. “That must feel like a constant oven! Do you have any moons?”
“No, I don’t have any moons,” Venus replied, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. “I’m one of the only planets without a moon. But I keep myself busy with my thick clouds and intense atmosphere.”
Ellie noticed how slowly Venus seemed to turn. “Venus, are you spinning really slowly?”
Venus laughed softly. “Good eye, Ellie! I spin very slowly, much slower than Earth. In fact, one of my days is longer than my year. It takes me 243 Earth days to make one complete spin on my axis, but only 225 days to orbit the Sun!”
Ellie was amazed. “So one of your days is longer than your whole year? That’s incredible!”
Venus glowed, pleased by Ellie’s fascination. “Thank you, Ellie. I may be hot and cloudy, but I have my own charm. My thick atmosphere and golden glow make me unique.”
Ellie smiled. “Thank you, Venus, for teaching me all about your thick clouds and your long, slow days.”
As Venus shimmered with warmth, Ellie blinked and found herself back in her bed. She looked out at the evening sky, feeling like she’d made a new friend among the planets. That night, she drifted off, dreaming of the bright, golden Venus, who shone like a gem in the night sky.