Impact imminent: Venus is about to lose some of its atmosphere

In a cosmic event that shows the dynamic and sometimes violent nature of our solar system, Venus is bracing for an atmospheric hit.

A coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona or being released into space, is expected to strike Venus after having left the sun on January 14.

While Earth will be spared from this particular solar storm, our neighbouring planets are not so fortunate. The Nasa model predicts that Mercury will be the first to encounter the CME on January 15, potentially generating X-ray auroras on its barren surface.

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Following closely, Venus is anticipated to feel the impact on January 16, leading to the erosion of particles from its upper atmosphere.

This event clearly highlights how Earth is not the only planet affected by space weather.

Coronal Mass Ejections, like the one currently hurtling through space, can have profound effects on other celestial bodies in our solar neighborhood. For instance, when a similar CME struck Mercury in April of a previous year, it was powerful enough to blow dust off the planet’s surface.

Venus, with no significant magnetic field to shield it, is particularly vulnerable to these solar events. The incoming wave of charged particles will make direct contact with the planet’s atmosphere, slowly stripping it away — a phenomenon that does not occur on Earth due to our protective magnetosphere.

The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft, which is currently near Venus, may be able to gather valuable data as the storm cloud passes. Such information could enhance our understanding of how solar activity affects planetary atmospheres.

Scientists have long studied the impacts of solar weather on planets. For Venus, the interaction with solar winds results in a continuous loss of hydrogen and oxygen from its upper ionosphere, equating to a gradual loss of water.

This process, along with increased radiation and charged particles from solar flares, shapes the atmospheric and surface conditions of Venus.