Is Venus Spinning the Wrong Way? Why Does Earth’s Twin Rotate Backwards?

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/NASA)
Is Venus Spinning the Wrong Way? Why Does Earth's Twin Rotate Backwards?

Venus spins in a different direction compared to most planets in the solar system, including Earth. Various theories are attempting to explain why this is the case.

Why Venus Spins Backwards?

It's difficult to say whether Venus is spinning the wrong way, but yes, it spins in the opposite direction compared to most planets. Yes, it's not the only planet to spin clockwise, as there are two.

Venus and Uranus revolve around their axes in an east-to-west direction. Venus rotates quite slowly; it takes a little over 243 Earth days to complete a full rotation, while its orbit around the sun takes slightly over 224 days.

It is unclear why the rotation is backward or retrograde. A widely accepted idea states that Venus was struck by a planet-sized object billions of years ago, causing it to stop rotating like the other planets. The planetary axis was flipped, or the rotation changed direction due to the impact and aftereffects.

Given that Earth has been struck by massive asteroids in the past, which is one theory regarding the formation of the Moon, it is conceivable that Venus was struck by a celestial body comparable in size to itself early in the Solar System, which caused the Earth's twin to spin in the opposite direction.

Also, Venus's orbit would have been dragged back to its initial position by the Sun, Mercury, and Earth if this collision had also changed it. Its axis of rotation would be the sole thing that would change over time.

Additionally, astronomers believe that Uranus's sideways rotation results from a collision.

Another explanation for the direction change could be tidal effects caused by core-mantle friction and a dense atmosphere.

However, a recent theory contends that the planet slowed down and transitioned into a more stable clockwise spin after its initial counterclockwise revolution proved unstable for several reasons. Regarding the original rotational orientation of all the planets in the solar system, this is thought to be a remnant of how the planets formed through the slow accumulation of the solar system's primordial material.

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Venus Is Inhabitable?

A new study that has not yet undergone official peer review has found that concentrated sulfuric acid can maintain the stability of amino acids. Amino acids are an essential component of life and the building blocks of proteins.

This implies that life might survive in the dense sulfuric acid clouds on Venus, above the intense heat and pressure of the planet's surface. Meteorites and other space debris are a common source of amino acids for planets such as Earth and Venus.

Prior work by the researchers showed that the stability of nucleic acid bases- the building blocks of DNA- was unaffected by intense sulfuric acid.

The study was quite clear about circumstances in the clouds, around 48-68 km (30-42 miles), where the temperature is suitable for liquid water to persist as droplets, according to David Rothery, a planetary geosciences professor at the Open University in the United Kingdom.

Sulfur dioxide from the atmosphere is said to dissolve with water to generate sulfuric acid, which is why Venus's clouds are displayed to be exceedingly acidic. So, even if the temperature is perfect for life, the acid has an issue. Nonetheless, the research indicates that amino acids, essential for life as we know it, might be stable in sulfuric environments.