Venus, the second planet from our Sun, is a rocky world akin to Earth in size and mass. Despite their similarities, Venus boasts a uniquely dense atmosphere primarily consisting of carbon dioxide, enveloped by a pervasive layer of sulfuric acid clouds. This thick atmospheric blanket traps heat, resulting in an astonishing average surface temperature of 737 K (464 °C; 867 °F). The immense atmospheric pressure at Venus's surface, a staggering 92 times that of Earth at sea level, compresses the carbon dioxide into a supercritical fluid state near the planet's scorching terrain.