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Venus spins differently than other planets, a phenomenon which has puzzled scientists for decades. They think an old moon with a backward orbit might be the reason. Valeri Makarov and Alexey Goldin, two US-based scientists, have now used computer simulations to further study the phenomenon, showing that this moon's gravity could make Venus rotate weirdly. Their study helps us understand the chaos of the early solar system.

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Studying the history of Venus

Venus might be exhibiting some really brutal, inhospitable conditions with extreme temperatures and elevated atmospheric pressure today, but experts believe the planet could have been similar to Earth and Mars at some point in the past. Notably, Venus remains shrouded beneath clouds of mystery as there are limited data and exploration missions to help aid study efforts.

Contemporary scientists are now engaged in exploring climate models of Venus to unravel the factors contributing to its current inhospitable environment.

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Previous theories about why Venus spins in opposite direction

In the crowded Solar System with fast objects like comets, there's a theory that something as big as Venus might have hit it, making it spin in the opposite direction. So, Venus's strange rotation might be from a cosmic collision during its early days.

Some shocking facts about Venus

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Venus, the enigmatic neighbour in our solar system, holds several shocking secrets. With an incredibly slow rotation, taking 243 Earth days for one spin, it boasts a day longer than its year.

Also read: It will be `hell`: Earth might turn into Venus some day, greenhouse effect simulation shows

This hot and hostile world reaches scorching temperatures of 465 degrees Celsius due to a runaway greenhouse effect caused by its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. Venus's atmospheric pressure, a crushing 92 times that of Earth's, makes exploration challenging, with only a few spacecraft managing to land successfully.

Watch: ISRO's Venus mission is unofficially known as 'Shukrayaan'

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The planet's surface reveals mysterious features, from vast volcanic plains to towering mountains, and its atmosphere experiences super-rotation, with winds at the cloud tops reaching staggering speeds. Limited exploration and a complex geological landscape contribute to the ongoing intrigue surrounding Venus, making it one of the most astonishing and least understood planets in our celestial neighbourhood.

(With inputs from agencies)