The typical thing when we get up every morning is to check the weather conditions in our city, but regardless of whether it rains, it is windy or the sun rises, the climatic conditions of the Earth are unique. The rest of the planets do not offer the possibility of living on it, although today there are futuristic projects and an open race to be the first to reach Mars between SpaceX, NASA or Blue Origin. Every day researchers from all over the world work to make it possible one day to inhabit the red planet and be able to experience it in our own flesh, beyond seeing what life would be like on another planet through science fiction series or movies.
The temperatures of the planets of the solar system are very variable depending on their distance from the Sun and whether or not they have an atmosphere that retains heat . Taking data from NASA we are going to review the surprising temperatures that exist on the planets of our solar system.
Extreme temperatures
Compared to Earth, the temperature on the rest of the planets in the solar system tends to be extreme and does not offer the possibility of life.
Mercury
Mercury is a planet so close to the Sun that its temperatures are extremely high. During the day on Mercury we would see the Sun three times larger and 10 times brighter than from Earth.
The incidence of sunlight causes temperatures to reach around 427℃ . At night, as there is no atmosphere that can retain the heat of the day, they plummet to -184℃. Despite being the closest planet to the Sun , it is not the hottest in the solar system and its average temperature is 160℃.
Venus
Welcome to Venus, the planet with the highest temperatures . Venus is covered by a dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide and clouds of sulfuric acid form. This combination forms the famous greenhouse effect that is responsible for heat being retained and the planet rising in temperature.
Venus can reach temperatures so exorbitant and unbearable that they go up to 453℃ . If they had had oceans, they would have disappeared a long time ago.
The earth
Our planet has an average temperature of 15℃ which is on the rise. If we continue polluting and emitting gases into the atmosphere, we will increase the greenhouse effect. At present, scientists and researchers have already revealed the problems that climate change entails, capable of causing extreme weather.
Mars
The red planet is also a place of extreme temperatures. Although daytime temperatures on Mars are close to what we can get in winter on Earth (0℃), its thin atmosphere cannot hold the Sun’s heat. At night temperatures drop to -129℃ .
The rovers that have set foot on Mars and study the planet have collected data showing that, at some point in the past, there was probably a lot of water, or even underground lakes, at the poles. Added to the temperature, there are phenomena such as dust storms that can leave the planet covered for weeks.
Jupiter
Jupiter is a gas giant that does not have a surface to stand on. A planet where storms abound and a great red spot stands out.
The entire planet is covered by clusters of clouds high in the atmosphere, possibly composed of ammonia. It is the largest in the solar system and its minimum temperature is -163℃ and the maximum is 121℃.
Saturn
Located 1,448 million kilometers from the Sun and dominated by its imposing rings. Almost twice the distance to Jupiter and leads to average temperatures of -176℃ .
As a curiosity, the most Earth-like climate in the solar system is found on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. According to some scientists this moon may have seasons, clouds with rain and an atmosphere made up in part of nitrogen. The bad news is that the cycles are methane and not water.
Uranus
The Ice Giant . Reaches temperatures of -218℃ . Compared to Earth, Uranus is so far away that it takes 84 Earth years to complete one orbit. That is, each season lasts what here would be 21 years.
Uranus’s axis is crooked and is the cause of some weather changes in its seasons. In summer or winter, in various parts of the planet it is day or night throughout the season.
Neptune
The farthest planet in the solar system, specifically at an average of 4,506 million kilometers from the Sun. An icy giant with very cold average temperatures of -218℃.
A number that we have already mentioned above and that coincides with that of Uranus . The reason why both planets have almost the same temperature, despite being at different distances from the Sun, is a mystery.