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Both Venus and Uranus rotate retrograde, opposite most other planets.

The Claim

Venus is the only planet in the Solar System that rotates clockwise (i.e., has retrograde rotation).

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

Venus is not unique in this respect. Standard references from NASA and ESA state that both Venus and Uranus have retrograde rotation, so the claim’s use of “only” is incorrect. Any attempt to exclude Uranus depends on a nonstandard distinction about axial tilt rather than the ordinary scientific classification.

Caveats

  • The word “only” is decisively contradicted by authoritative sources that classify Uranus as retrograde-rotating.
  • Do not confuse a nuance about Uranus’s extreme axial tilt with a different official classification; major astronomy references still count it as retrograde.
  • If dwarf planets are considered, Pluto is also often described as rotating retrograde, making the uniqueness claim even less defensible.

The Receipts

  1. Venus: Facts - NASA Science

    NASA Science

  2. Venus Overview

    NASA Solar System Exploration

  3. Astrogeology Science Center

    USGS Astrogeology Science Center

  4. Venus: In Depth

    NASA

  5. Uranus: In Depth

    NASA

  6. Uranus: Facts

    NASA Science

  7. The four final rotation states of Venus

    PubMed / Nature

  8. Solar System Planets – Compare

    NASA

  9. Solar System Overview: Sizes and Distances

    NASA Solar System Exploration

  10. Venus facts

    European Space Agency (ESA)

+ 15 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

Solar SystemVenus

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