The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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This inverted grey-scale view of the venusian clouds was obtained by the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board ESA’s Venus Express on 17 May 2007, at a distance of about 57 000 km from the planet.
This image, taken at around midnight local time, at 1.7-micrometres, reveals what is present at an altitude of 45-50 km in the south polar region. It is possible to see that the cloud curtain is very thick and opaque.
The imaged area is located between 40º south (bottom of the image) and 80º south (top) image top.