Why is venus hotter than mercury when mercury is closer to the sun?

Venus is hotter than Mercury because it has a thick blanket around it that keeps the heat in, like a cozy sleeping bag.

Imagine you and your friend are both wearing jackets on a cold day. You're standing close to the fire, but your friend is far away, but guess who ends up warmer? That's right, your friend! Because they're wrapped in a thick blanket, while you're just near the fire.

Venus has a thick atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide, like a heavy sleeping bag that traps the heat from the Sun. Mercury doesn’t have much of an atmosphere, it’s more like wearing a thin t-shirt on a cold day.

So even though Mercury is closer to the Sun, Venus stays hotter because its thick blanket keeps the warmth in all day and night.

• Mercury has no blanket, so heat escapes quickly.
• Venus has a heavy blanket, trapping the heat like a warm hug.