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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Venus' Lower Clouds

Venus' Lower Clouds
Venus' Lower Clouds Akatsuki’s IR2 camera relies on heat emanating from the lower atmosphere of Venus to image the nightside lower clouds. The infrared radiation originating beneath the clouds silhouettes the lowermost cloud deck, so areas of thicker cloud appear darker in this photo. At lower left, the camera’s detector is overwhelmed by the brilliance of sunlight reflecting off the daylit crescent. JAXA/ISAS/DARTS/Damia Bouic