Venus Period of Rotation

The period of rotation for Venus is 243 days. In other words, Venus takes 243 days to turn once on its axis so that the stars are in the same position in the sky.

That seems like a long time, and it is. Especially when you consider that a year on Venus only lasts 224.7 days. In other words, a day on Venus lasts longer than its year. Even stranger, Venus is rotating backwards from the rest of the planets. Seen from above its north pole, Venus is rotating clockwise, while the rest of the planets in the Solar System are turning counter-clockwise.

If you could actually stand on the surface of Venus, with the scorching heat and crushing atmospheric pressure, you would see the Sun rise in the West and then travel slowly across the sky, to set in the East. The total time from sunrise to sunrise is 116.75 days.

We have written many articles about Venus for Universe Today. Here’s an article about Venus’ wet, volcanic past, and here’s an article about how Venus might have had continents and oceans in the ancient past.

Want more information on Venus? Here’s a link to Hubblesite’s News Releases about Venus, and here’s a link to NASA’s Solar System Exploration Guide on Venus.

We have recorded a whole episode of Astronomy Cast that’s only about planet Venus. Listen to it here, Episode 50: Venus.

Fraser Cain is the publisher of Universe Today. He's also the co-host of Astronomy Cast with Dr. Pamela Gay.