Watch: Venus's weather changing over almost a decade
What's the story
In a groundbreaking study, scientists have used Earth-monitoring weather satellites to observe changes in Venus's atmosphere over almost a decade. The research team, led by Gaku Nishiyama from the University of Tokyo and National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, discovered that images taken by these satellites occasionally showed Venus in the background. By analyzing these unexpected appearances, they were able to track temperature variations in Venus's atmosphere from 2015 to 2023.
Atmospheric complexities
Challenges of observing Venus's weather
Venus is known for its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere and sulfuric acid clouds. While it experiences weather changes similar to Earth, tracking these changes has been a challenge. Ground-based telescopes are limited by Earth's atmosphere and Venus's proximity to the Sun, while previous space-based observations have been restricted in duration or wavelength data collection capabilities.
Satellite advantage
Data from 2 Japanese weather satellites used
The research team used data from two Japanese weather satellites, Himawari-8 and Himawari-9. These satellites, which take pictures of Earth every 10 minutes, have been monitoring our planet since 2015. They can detect 16 different colors in visible and infrared light. The wider field of view of the Himawari satellites sometimes captures Venus in the background behind Earth by coincidence.
Weather insights
Long-term changes inVenusian atmosphere observed
The research team found 437 instances of Venus appearing as a dot in the background of Himawari data. They were able to observe long-term changes in the thermal structure of the Venusian atmosphere, with the largest changes taking place around sunrise on Venus. These variations are thought to be linked to waves circulating around the planet's atmosphere.
Future prospects
Study opens new field of planetary science
The research not only sheds light on Venusian weather but also paves the way for a new field of study using weather satellites for planetary observations. There are many weather satellites that incidentally capture images of Venus and other solar system planets, which could provide more data in the future.