Probe NASA The Parker Solar Probe captured the surface of Venus in visible light from space for the first time.
About this write at NASA.
The surface of Venus is usually covered by thick clouds. And clouds scatter and absorb light. But with the help of the WISPR wide-angle instrument, the probe managed to capture the entire night side of Venus in light visible to the human eye.
“We have never before seen the surface through the clouds at these wavelengths (that is, in the spectrum visible to the human eye – ed.).” Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Sciences Division, commented.
Such images of Venus can help scientists learn more about the geology of the planet’s surface. For example, about what minerals can be there. Venus is often called Earth’s twin. Perhaps these images will help scientists understand why Venus, despite all the similarities with Earth, is unsuitable for human life.
“Venus is the third brightest object in the sky, but until recently we didn’t have much information about what its surface looks like. Because the dense atmosphere of the planet is between us. Now we’re finally seeing the surface,” said Brian Wood, a physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington.
NASA notes that the first WISPR images of Venus were taken in July 2020. WISPR was designed to see details in the solar atmosphere and wind.
