When a planet behaves like a comet: The tail of Venus and the weak solar wind
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - 12:30
in Astronomy & Space
(Phys.org)—Measurements obtained with ESA's Venus Express spacecraft have shed new light on the interaction between the solar wind and the second planet from the Sun. During a rare period of very low density solar outflow, the ionosphere of Venus was observed to become elongated downstream, rather like a long-tailed comet.