Japan is going Venus

[Triple Zero]

Just heard on Twitter their space probe will be in Venus' atmosphere the 7th of December.

Which is awesome because we don't really really know all that much about Venus, except that it's hot and poisonous and hellishly stormy.

While on the one hand, we have been exploring Mars as a candidate for terraforming, having had water once, like Earth. But Venus should also be an interesting case study because it is the other attractor our global climate system could get drawn into if it gets roughed up too much.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=JAPAN+VENUS

[Elder Iptuous]

sweet!
according to the wiki article on the satellite, it's got cameras of various wavelengths and is sent to determine whether there is, in fact, the supposed lightning and volcanism on the surface.
that would be awesome to get some actual pictures of that rather than just having the "artist renditions" to stick in our kids textbooks....

[Kai]

We've sent several probes to Venus, even have photos. Very inhospitable planet.

[Elder Iptuous]

i've seen some surface photos, but they weren't terribly interesting if i recall...
and we don't have photos of the lightning and volcanism.
hopefully we'll get some nice shots out of this.

[Triple Zero]

We've sent several probes to Venus, even have photos. Very inhospitable planet.

Joh.

They're bound to get higher res views and awesome findings and such though.

(unless you're taking my post to assuming they might find life there--of course not. Not that I'd rule anything out, but no.)