Breaking Space News: Venus Has Active Volcanoes!

Earth is no longer the only planet in the solar system that we know has active volcanoes. Venus, welcome to the geologically-active planet club! Planetarium educator Talia Sepersky breaks down this groundbreaking Venutian discovery. We knew Venus had volcanoes, but a new study has revealed that they're not dormant — they’re actually erupting. NASA's Magellan spacecraft data was what revealed evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus. The data, which was collected during the spacecraft's four-year mission in the early 1990s, was analyzed using modern techniques. Scientists discovered that lava had flowed on the planet's surface within the last 2.5 million years, which is considered recent in geological terms. The data also showed that some of the volcanoes on Venus were still active during Magellan's mission, erupting at least once. The study provides valuable insights into the geological activity and evolution of Venus, which could help us better understand the planet's habitability potential.