Planetary process
The Greenhouse Effect
The warming of a planet's surface by an atmosphere that lets sunlight in but traps the outgoing heat. Modest and life-enabling on Earth, it is extreme on Venus, whose thick carbon-dioxide atmosphere makes it the hottest planet in the Solar System.
Worlds, layers & processes
Knowledge connections
- Associated withVenus
- Associated withEarth
- Associated withClimate Evolution
- Associated withEquilibrium Temperature
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.