Global view of Venus in the infrared

This global view of Venus is a mosaic of several images taken by the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board ESA’s Venus Express on 18 May 2007, at a distance of about 66 000 km from the planet.

The images were obtained at 1.7-micrometre (left) and 3.8-micrometre (right) wavelengths, The wavelength used to obtain the left-hemisphere composite (1.7 micrometres) provides a dramatic global view of the night-side clouds in the lower
atmosphere (approximately 45 km), while the wavelength used to obtain the right-hemisphere composite (3.8 micrometres) provides a view of the day-side cloud top (approximately 60 km).

The double polar vortex at the south pole is visible at the centre of the image.