images

Venusian lightning storm - Artist view

by

Walter B. Myers/Novapix

Reference

a-ven99-10003

Date

2009-09-03

Lightning has been observed in Venus' clouds, however it is not known if lightning strikes the surface as well. If it did, it would be one more infernal element in a nightmare world. Any rain associated with such a storm would likely be in the form of sulfuric acid, and that would evaporate long before it reached the ground, as the surface of Venus is far hotter and dryer than any earthly desert.