From: knapp@spot.Colorado.EDU (David Knapp)
Subject: Re: PUTTING VENUS IN AN ORBIT SIMILAR TO THE ORBIT OF THE EARTH
Keywords: Altering, VENUS, Orbit
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 13:54:30 GMT

In article <abian.716517308@pv343f.vincent.iastate.edu> abian@iastate.edu (Alexander Abian) writes:
>     In our Solar System, the planet VENUS is the only planet which sizewise,
>masswise and substancewise closely resembles our planet Earth.
>     The main difference between Venus and Earth lies in their orbits around
>the Sun.

I wouldn't call it the 'main' difference, and it is only ~.3 au closer. Not
that much. That is not the reason it is so hot there.


>  For one thing, Venus stays around 67 million miles away from the
>Sun, whereas Earth stays around 93 million miles away from the Sun.  As a
>consequence of the corresponding greenhouse effects, Venus' average surface
>temperature is around 900 degrees F, whereas Earth's is around 60 degrees F.  
>Venus, being an extraordinarily hot planet is unsuitable for sustaining life
>(as we know it).

I *knew* you were going to say that. That is *not* the reason it is hotter.

>     However, if we alter Venus' orbit and make it similar to the Earth's
>orbit, then the gradual process of generating life sustaining ecology on 
>Venus will evolve automatically.  As a result, a second Earth-like planet
>will be created which, in due course, will be readily and easily populated
>by the human species.

This is incorrect.

>     The present-day tendencies of Space Scientists and Space Technology 
>consist in keeping Venus or Mars in their existing orbits and trying to install
>on them machinery which will produce life-sustaining conditions.  This approach
>most likely will not yield the desired results.  Indeed, creating life-
>sustaining ecology on the planets (like Venus or Mars) whose present cosmic 
>parameters, to begin with do not allow the existence of life on them, seems
>improbable and impractical.
>     As mentioned above, a practical way for creating a life-sustaining ecology
>say, on Venus, is to put Venus in an orbit similar to the Earth's orbit, to
>begin with.  This is the way, the only way.  Philosophically:
>
>     THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION, OR THE PRESERVATION
>OF FAVOURED RACES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
>                                               C. DARWIN (1859)
>
>     THE FUTURE OF SPECIES BY MEANS OF RATIONAL ALTERATION OF COSMOS, OR 
>THE PRESERVATION OF INTELLIGENT RACES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
>                                               
>                                               A. ABIAN (1992) 
>
>Alexander Abian
>Professor of Mathematics
>Iowa State University
>Ames, Iowa  50011
>USA
>
>phone: (515) 294-8135  
><abian@iastate.edu>
>    



Professor Abian, you will find that pretty much *any* text on planetary
science will detail why the proximity of Venus is not the main reason for
it's surface temperature.  Even if you moved it out to Mars' orbit, it
would still be too hot.  The problem lies in the extreme greenhouse
effect which itself is a result of the lack of CO2 fixation to stable
compounds.  CO2 fixation is also a problem with Mars, although that is
only on of the 'problems' there.

Moons and Planes by William K. Hartmann, Wadsworth Publishing, would
be a great place to start reading about this.


-- 
David Knapp                                      University of Colorado, Boulder
Perpetual Student                                   knapp@spot.colorado.edu