Venus Coloring Pages

The twin planet that orbits just inside Earth's path Venus is the second closest planet to the sun in our solar system. Its size and weight are very similar to Earth's. That is why people sometimes call Venus Earth's sister planet. But its environment is totally different from Earth. Venus is a super hot world covered in a thick blanket of carbon dioxide gas.

Where the Names Come From

The names for Venus come from its amazing beauty and bright light.

• English Name: In English, it is called Venus.

• Origin of the English Name: It comes from Venus, the goddess of love and beauty in Roman myths. Venus shines brighter than any other star in the night sky. So people gave it the name of the most beautiful goddess.

• Origin of the Japanese Name: In Japan, people long ago saw how bright it was and named it Kinsei, or the Metal Star. People also love calling Venus the Morning Star when you see it at dawn, and the Evening Star when you see it at sunset.

What the Surface and Environment of Venus Look Like

The Hottest Planet in the Solar System Mercury is closest to the sun, but Venus is actually even hotter!

• Greenhouse Effect: Thick air traps the heat from the sun. This makes the surface temperature about 460 degrees Celsius! That is hot enough to melt lead.

• Sulfuric Acid Clouds: Thick clouds made of sulfuric acid float in the sky of Venus. Rain made of sulfuric acid falls from them! But the heat makes it dry up before it hits the ground.

A Very Slow Spin

• Spinning Backwards: Venus spins in the opposite direction from most other planets. So on Venus, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east!

• A Long Day: It takes longer for Venus to spin around once on its axis than it takes to make one full trip around the sun!

• How to choose colors: From space, Venus is covered in thick clouds. Color the whole thing with white, light yellow, or cream!

• How to draw patterns: Think of moving clouds and add gentle V-shaped patterns using a slightly darker yellow or orange. That will make it look just like Venus!

• How to make it shine: Color space in the background deep black. Then add sparkly light rays around Venus. It will show how bright the evening star is, and it will look super pretty!

The True Identity of the "Evening Star"

Have you ever found the brightest shining star in the sky at dusk or dawn? That is not a UFO or an airplane. It is Venus! People also call it the "Evening Star" or "Morning Star." Just like the moon, Venus changes its shape over time.

The "Hottest" Planet in the Solar System

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, but Venus is actually hotter! Its temperature is an amazing 460 degrees Celsius! Venus is covered in thick clouds, so it traps the sun's heat and gets hotter and hotter.

Earth's "Twin," but a Whole Different World Inside

Venus is almost the same size and weight as Earth, so it is called "Earth's sister planet (twin)." But its air is made of poison (carbon dioxide), and dangerous rain called sulfuric acid falls from the sky. It is a very scary world!

The Sun Rises in the West?

Unlike Earth and other planets, Venus spins in the opposite direction. So if you go to Venus, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east! It is fun how everything is backwards compared to Earth.