Venus is well known for its rotating upper atmosphere, which sweeps around the planet once every 4 Earth days.
This is in stark contrast to the rotation of the planet itself — the length of the day — which takes 243 Earth days.
Planetary researchers do not yet fully understand the origin and motor of this phenomenon, known as superrotation.
According to new research, the nightside cloud-top circulation discovered by JAXA’s Akatsuki orbiter may fuel the Venusian superrotation.
Source
This is in stark contrast to the rotation of the planet itself — the length of the day — which takes 243 Earth days.
Planetary researchers do not yet fully understand the origin and motor of this phenomenon, known as superrotation.
According to new research, the nightside cloud-top circulation discovered by JAXA’s Akatsuki orbiter may fuel the Venusian superrotation.
Source