SIZE IN SPACE

planet · Object guide

How big is Venus?

Almost a familiar silhouette.

One scale. Two worlds.True diameter scale
Venus and Earth to scaleTheir diameters differ by a factor of 1.0527. Illustrations show body diameter, not separation in space.

Body diameters to scale. Positions and surface artwork are illustrative; Saturn’s rings are excluded.

A change of perspective

1.0527× the diameter. See how the two worlds measure up.

Diameter is a distance across an object. Volume grows with the cube of that distance.

Choose a size to bring this comparison down to Earth.

Venus: Twice the source mean radius; body diameter only, excluding rings.

Earth: Twice the source mean radius; body diameter only, excluding rings.

How we measure size →
Mean diameter

12,104 km

Twice the source mean radius; body diameter only, excluding rings.

Put Venus beside Earth and the two outlines are remarkably close. Small differences in diameter are easiest to notice when the objects share a scale and a baseline.

Similar size is only one comparison

Matching silhouettes do not mean matching environments. This tool deliberately isolates size. Use “How many across?” to see how close the diameter ratio is to one, then compare Venus with Jupiter for a very different perspective.

Measurement source

Planetary Physical Parameters — NASA JPL. Twice the source mean radius; body diameter only, excluding rings.

Source references