Venus is a planet similar to our Earth. Thousands of volcanoes are said to still be active on this closest planet to our planet. Direct geological evidence of recent volcanic activity on the planet has been found for the second time, according to NASA scientists in Italy.
After analyzing archived data from the space agency’s Magellan mission, scientists say they have observed new lava flows on Venus, suggesting the planet was active between 1990 and 1992.
NASA’s Magellan spacecraft reached Venus in 1990 and was the first spacecraft to map the planet’s entire surface before disappearing into the Venusian atmosphere on October 12, 1994. Since then, no other spacecraft has been sent to explore Venus until now.
After two years of searching for volcanic activity, scientists who analyzed old data shared by Magellan said the volcanoes there are still active.
Scientists say the study, using new instruments, found new lava flows on the western side of the Sif Mons volcano and on the western side of Niobe Plantia.