Venus, as the goddess of beauty, has been celebrated in art and myth for millennia. Now, The Planetary Society and ESA celebrate the imagined rugged beauty of the planet's natural landscape with the winning entries in the 'Postcards from Venus' art contest in coordination with ESA's Venus Express mission, en route toward a rendezvous with Venus on 11 April 2006.

Winners were selected in two age groups, youth and adult, with the Grand Prize winner being Tatianna Cwick, age 17, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA. Cwick has won a trip for herself and a guardian to the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Gera number of, when Venus Express arrives at its destination.

"The title of my artwork is Ominous Beauty," said Cwick. "I think this captures the essence of the planet Venus, with its threatening volcanic environment and unique splendour".

Cwick added that her father taught her most of what she knows about the planets, and that he suggested she enter the art contest because it 'could combine both of our interests - his love for space and my love for art.' .

Yoo-Hong Sun, age 9, of South Korea was the first place winner in the youth category and Alejandra Gonzalez Quintana of Spain won first place for adults.

The Venus Express mission will be the first spacecraft in more than ten years to visit our nearest planetary neighbour. Shrouded under a dense haze, Venus is a world steeped in mystery. Often called our 'sister planet', Venus is nearly identical to Earth in size and mass, yet its surface temperature is hotter than a kitchen oven because the thick atmosphere traps the Sun's heat.

Instruments on board Venus Express will study the planet's atmosphere and what drives the planet's high-speed winds. An on board camera will capture images of the surface by peering through 'windows' in the enveloping haze.



Source: ESA

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