Can Venus' Surface Get Hit Hard?

Over four and a half billion years ago, Theia, a rogue planet the size of Mars, slammed into the infant Earth. This impact is believed to have resulted in the birth of many things, from the moon to plate tectonics.

But let's say that Theia ditched Earth and instead set a collision course for Earth's sister, Venus.

This is no identical twin. Important to this question is the atmosphere of this planet. It's not just a blanket of excessive carbon dioxide, it's primarily a Trojan wall--92 bars of pressure. That's 92 times higher than Earth's atmosphere!

So if Theia did hit Venus, even glancingly, would it ever hit the surface? Or would the high pressure of the atmosphere destroy it midair?

posted about 8 years ago

JohnWDailey‭

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