The most distant planet in our solar system experiences the strongest sustained winds - up to 1,300 miles per hour - over eight times faster than the winds of a Category 5 hurricane. Its largest moon, Triton, hosts the coldest known surface temperature: just 38 Kelvin (or -391°F). Its surface is coated in frozen nitrogen - colder than the liquid nitrogen you may have experienced in science class. If we were to visit either world, we would have a hard time breathing, among other problems, because at these temperatures even oxygen freezes to snow.


Here on Earth, with our comfortably balanced atmosphere, we don’t typically experience the kinds of extremes that can be found elsewhere in the solar system, so we have a hard time imagining what’s possible. Learning about the solar system opens our eyes to these possibilities. For example, Venus - once similar to Earth - has a runaway greenhouse effect that pushes surface temperatures above 850°F, hot enough to melt lead.


Climate change on Earth shouldn’t take us to Venus-like extremes, but we can’t be sure how feedback loops - like melting permafrost or shrinking arctic ice* - might exacerbate warming. We don’t need lead-melting heat to face serious consequences to our food supply and ecosystems.

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This print measures 16 x 12 inches plus a half inch white border. Shipped rolled and well protected inside a tube by USPS mail. Frame not included.

This is a high quality print of an original oil painting. It is printed with archival, pigmented inks on fine matte finish paper and lightly signed at the lower right. I put a lot of time into making sure my prints look great and I get lots of compliments on them!

Please note that color and brightness vary on all devices and may appear differently on your screen.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Rob Rey Art retains all rights to the image, do not copy without permission. Watermarks and copyright notices will not appear on your print.