Astronomy Picture of the Day

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                               2020 January 14

                   Evidence of an Active Volcano on Venus
   Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, ESA, Venus Express: VIRTIS, USRA, LPI

   Explanation: Are volcanoes still active on Venus? More volcanoes are
   known on Venus than Earth, but when Venusian volcanoes last erupted is
   not directly known. Evidence bolstering very recent volcanism on Venus
   has recently been uncovered, though, right here on Earth. Lab results
   showed that images of surface lava would become dim in the infrared in
   only months in the dense Venusian atmosphere, a dimming not seen in
   ESA's Venus Express images. Venus Express entered orbit around Venus in
   2006 and remained in contact with Earth until 2014. Therefore, the
   infrared glow (shown in false-color red) recorded by Venus Express for
   Idunn Mons and featured here on a NASA Magellan image indicates that
   this volcano erupted very recently -- and is still active today.
   Understanding the volcanics of Venus might lead to insight about the
   volcanics on Earth, as well as elsewhere in our Solar System.

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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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