text: Venus has the hottest surface tempature of any planet in our solar system, though Mercury is closer to our sun. Beyond high pressure and heat, Venusian geology and weather present additional impediments like erupting volcanoes, powerful earthquakes, and frequent lightning strikes to probes seeking land on it's surface. If our sister planet is so inhospitable, why are scientists even discussing further visits to its surface? Astronmers are fascinated by Venus because it may well once have been the most Earth-like planet in our solar system. Long ago, Venus was probably covered largely with oceans and could have supported various forms of life. Today, Venus still has some features that are analogous to those on Earth. The planet has a surface of a rocky sediment and includes familiar features such as valleys, mountains and craters.