Venus is the second planet from the Sun and has the hottest surface temperature in the solar system at around 500°C. It has a thick, toxic atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide with sulfuric acid clouds. The surface is solid rock, as the intense heat evaporates any water, and the gravity is too strong to support life. While once possibly similar to Earth, Venus has reversed its rotation direction and is slowly shrinking as it continues to melt under the sun's heat.