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How does Venus compare in size with Earth?
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Venus
Venus photographed in ultraviolet light by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (Pioneer 12) spacecraft, February 26, 1979. Although Venus's cloud cover is nearly featureless in visible light, ultraviolet imaging reveals distinctive structure and pattern, including global-scale V-shaped bands that open toward the west (left). Added color in the image emulates Venus's yellow-white appearance to the eye.
Venus is often referred to as Earth’s twin due to its striking similarities in size, mass, and density to Earth.1
In terms of physical dimensions, Venus is nearly as large as Earth:
- Radius: The mean radius of Venus is 6,051.8 kilometers (3,760.4 miles), which is approximately 95 percent of Earth’s equatorial radius.12
- Mass: Venus has a mass of kilograms, representing about 81.5 percent of Earth’s total mass.12
- Density and Gravity: These similarities result in a comparable density of 5.24 grams per cubic centimeter (compared to Earth’s 5.52 grams per cubic centimeter) and a surface gravity where a human would weigh about 90 percent of what they do on Earth.12
Unlike many other planets that exhibit equatorial bulging due to rapid rotation, Venus maintains a highly spherical shape because of its very slow rotation.12