VENUS     Second planet from the Sun

          Mean distance from Sun:    .72 AU = 108,000,000 KM

          Diameter:                  12100 KM

          Mass:                      0.95 Earths

          Density:                   5.2 grams / cubic centimeter

          Surface temperature:       900 F

          Orbital period:            226 days
        
          Venus, the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun
          and the Moon, is often visible for several hours just after
          sunset or before sunrise (hence it's name as the "Evening" or
          "Morning" star.)   Visited by spacecraft from both the U.S.A and
          U.S.S.R, much of the surface has been mapped by radar.  
          When viewed with a small telescope, Venus exhibits phases like
          the Moon and larger instruments may reveal details in the 
          thick clouds covering the entire planet.
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