The color of Venus

[kaygee]

If you were in a space station orbiting Venus and looked out a viewport, what color(s) would the planet look like? What'd be the overall color scheme? Yellowish-red, reddish-orange, etc.?<br /><br />Also, do you know where I could find some true color images of Venus?<br /><br />Thanks

 

[kaygee]

These are great! Thanks

 

[MeteorWayne]

Should point out that it's yellowish-white because it's reflecting sunlight, much as a comet's dust tail. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[bad_drawing]

As an aside: Whenever I see photos of the planets as they appear, shown together, all i can think is what a gorgeous planet the Earth is.<br /><br />Of course I may be biased...living on it and all.

 

[willpittenger]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>true color images of Venus?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />I should point out that true "true color images" are rare in astronomy. For instance, when Hubble takes a color image, it is using a series of filters. The CCDs on board are not sensitive to individual colors like the Human eye. Rather, Hubble sends down several images, each taken with a different filter. A computer here on earth combines these images to produce the filter you see. This system allows for greater resolution at the cost of overall required observation time. (We need at least 3 exposure time slots, one per filter). I assume the similar processes exist for film by exposing the same film separately with the various filters. However, I could be mistaken.<br /><br />Your digital camera is very different. Details vary, but the CCD has its pixels divided up into groups of 4. One pixel takes red, one green, and one blue. The fourth pixel gathers additional data (probably gray scale). You see these four pixels as one in the final photo. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[mithridates]

This is only slightly related, but I still haven't been able to find any concrete information on exactly what it would look like to a person flying above Venus at certain altitudes, namely all 10 km intervals above the surface from 10 km to 100 km. I read somewhere once that a solar flyer based at around 60 km altitude (the base altitude where solar energy is plentiful enough that it could stay there indefinitely) could see the surface when dipping down to an altitude of 40 km or so, but for the life of me I can't remember where I read that or if it's accurate or not. Basically I'm curious what can be seen above (whether the sun can be seen) and below (the surface) depending on altitude. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>

 

[5billionyearslater]

I was viewing Venus last night and although the seeing conditions weren't perfect, Venus was very clear.<br /><br />I viewed it with my 8" Newtonian Reflector at 240 power and it looked like a white marble giving off 4 rays of light.<br /><br />If I were to hazard a guess what would you see from a shuttle in orbit around Venus would be a dirty white ball with black streaks. But then again I could be wrong!

 

[fingle]

roger that, what Will said about true color images.<br /><br />even the Russian Venera 13 color images are false color images produced from 3 color filters.<br /><br />link to Venera 13 color image<br /><br /><br />same with ESA's venus express.<br /><br />link to Venus Express first images from venus<br /><br />we are just going to have to send someone and ask then what colors they see. <br /><br />I was going to link to a google image search but not all of those are of the planet. <img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" /><br /><br />fingle<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[triclon]

Venus looks like a featureless white ball through my telescope. I would venture to guess it would also look pretty darn white close up.

 

[JonClarke]

"even the Russian Venera 13 color images are false color images produced from 3 color filters"<br /><br />Nope. The reconstructed images are true colour because they corresponded to the three primary colours of the visible spectrum.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[fingle]

Re: The reconstructed images are true colour<br /><br />oh.<br /><br />Thanks, when I read they used three filters and also the line "The true color is difficult to judge because the Venerian atmosphere filters out blue light" I jumped to the wrong conclusion. <br /><br />thank you JonClarke.<br /><br /><br />fingle<br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[deapfreeze]

I am hoping to get a view of Venus tonight if the sky stays clear. I am not sure how well it will be as I am only using bino's 7x35 haven't bought a scope yet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#0000ff"><em>William ( deapfreeze ) Hooper</em></font></p><p><font size="1">http://deapfreeze-amateur-astronomy.tk/</font></p><p> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

That occurs in July this year when Venus will be nearing it's largest, and becoming more crescent shaped daily. This occurs as it passes between the earth and the sun.<br /><br />It truely is an impressive binolular sight. Maybe you'll have a scope (or can find one to look through) by then! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>