Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How long is a day on Venus?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
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 spins very slowly on its axis, taking approximately 243 Earth days to complete one full rotation with respect to the stars, which is known as its sidereal day.12
Because Venus rotates in a retrograde directionâthe opposite of most planets in the solar systemâan observer on the surface would see the Sun rise in the west and set in the east. Additionally, the planet's rotation is so slow that it remains nearly spherical, as it lacks the equatorial bulge typically caused by faster planetary rotation.2