WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- With the help of observations from European Space Agency's Venus Express mission, astronomers confirm for the first time that the Venusian atmosphere generates its own lightning.

    The discovery is part of the Venus Express science findings that appear in a special section of the Nov. 29 issue of the journal Nature.

An artist's rendition released by the European Space Agency on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 shows lightning striking the surface of planet Venus. Nearby planet Venus is looking a bit more Earth-like with frequent bursts of lightning confirmed by a new European space probe. For nearly three decades, astronomers have said Venus probably had lightning, ever since a 1978 NASA probe showed signs of electrical activity in its atmosphere. But experts were not sure because of signal interference. (Photo: Xinhuanet/Agency) Photo Gallery>>>

    "In addition to all the pressure and heat, we can confirm there is lightning on Venus -- maybe even more activity than there is here on Earth," said Christopher Russell, a NASA-sponsored scientist on Venus Express from the University of California, Los Angeles, and lead author of one of the Nature papers.

    The discovery puts Venus in elite planetary company. Scientists currently know of only three other planetary bodies in the entire universe that generate lightning -- Earth, Jupiter and Saturn.

    Lightning on Venus -- as well as on any other planet -- is an important discovery because the electrical discharges drive the chemistry of an atmosphere by breaking molecules into fragments that can then join with other fragments in unexpected ways. Any future missions to Venus may have to take into account the electrical activity in its atmosphere.

    The lightning on Venus is unique from that found on Earth, Jupiter and Saturn since it is the only lightning known that is not associated with water clouds. Instead, on Venus, the lightning is associated with clouds of sulfuric acid.

    The confirming measurements of the electrical discharges were made with data obtained by the Venus Express magnetometer instrument.

    With its primary mission completed, Venus Express will now embark upon its extended mission to watch Earth's nearest planetary neighbor for two more Venusian days. A Venusian day is about 117 days long. 

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