text: Venus has a similar distance from the sun as Earth, meaning that it should be similarly hospitible. However, Venus has high temperatures and pressure which does not add up to the distance from the sun. The temperature on a planet is determined by the planet's distance from the sun and how much heat and light is able to travel to the planet. Since Earth is hospitible at a similar distance as Venus, then why is Venus plagued by severe temperatures? This and other mysteries about Venus are being questioned by scientists, but without the ability to get close to the planet, most exploration is impossible due to the thick atmosphere.