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Venus Unveiled
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Program Overview
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The planet Venus has been the subject of observation, speculation,
myth, and theory for thousands of years. It has been called our
sister planet because of its proximity to Earth and because its size
and mass are similar to those of Earth. These similarities have led
many scientists to speculate that Venus and Earth share other
features. Until the early 1990s, however, many theories about the
surface of Venus were based on interpretations of limited scientific
information. The thick atmosphere that surrounds Venus prevented
astronomers from observing the features of its surface. Space probes
sent by the Soviet Union and the United States were destroyed by the
extremely hot temperature and high pressure of Venus's atmosphere.
No detailed information was available until a successful mission was
made by NASA's satellite Magellan. Magellan's data answered many
questions, but also indicated that the planet was very different
from what scientists had expected. This episode of NOVA examines the
theories, data, and debates surrounding this mysterious planet.
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