Venus Mapping at small Scale: Source Data Processing and cartographic Interpretation

Through space technology it has become possible to study the planets of the Solar System in ever greater detail. This is particularly true for Venus, whose surface is hidden by a thick atmosphere so that the surface relief has only been observed using radar techniques. The new hypsometric map of Venus will improve and accelerate the study of its surface and the reliefforming processes there, give a precise and informative impression of the planet, and find wide use as an aid for students and scientists. The height contours were constructed using the Magellan altitude data, which is the most precise available. The main tasks in the production of the map were the development of an original hypsometric scale, the data processing, and the layout of the map.