Why Is Venus, despite Its Proximity to Earth, Less Explored than Mars?

Venus is brighter than any other point-like object in the night sky; it is known as the Earth’s ‘sister’ and is the second planet in the solar system. Carbon dioxide rich and having sulfuric acid clouds as light, Venus is only slightly smaller in size than Earth and has a similar composition, but due to greenhouse effect, it is the hottest planet in the solar system with temperatures on its surface hot enough to melt lead.

Most of the planets in the universe rotate in a clock wise direction when seen from above their North Pole, but Venus is the exception as it rotates on its axis in an anti clock wise fashion, a situation known as retrograde rotation.

Though, the conditions at Venus are quite unfavourable it has always been an area of interest for astronomers and has been mapped and explored by many spacecrafts and is characterised by extensive plains, towering volcanoes and various signs of active geology.