News Planetary Science

Flashes in Venus’ atmosphere might be meteors, not lightning

Probes that will spend time in the planet’s clouds may not need protection from lightning

An image of Venus.

Mysterious bursts of light in the atmosphere of Venus may be meteors burning up, a study suggests.

Kevin M. Gill/DARTS/ISAS/JAXA/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

By Sid Perkins

Occasional flashes light up Venus’ shroud of clouds. Previous analyses have hinted that the bursts of light could be lightning in the hellish world’s atmosphere. But a new study suggests most of the flashes may be nothing more than the brief yet brilliant blazes of meteors.