Why is Venus hotter than Mercury even though Mercury is closer to the Sun?

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Updated: 11-Apr-2025

Venus is hotter due to its thick atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, creating a runaway greenhouse effect. This traps heat and pushes surface temperatures to over 460°C, hotter than Mercury. Venus’s clouds reflect sunlight but prevent heat from escaping.

Despite being second from the Sun, its dense atmosphere makes it the hottest planet. This highlights how atmospheric composition, not just distance, affects a planet’s climate—a key concept in studying exoplanets too

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