Editing Mariner 2 (section)

== Results ==
The data produced during the flight consisted of two categories{{mdash}}''viz.'', tracking data and telemetry data.{{r|Sparks}} One particularly noteworthy piece of data gathered during the pioneering fly-by was the high temperature of the atmosphere,<ref name=nasa4/> measured to be {{Convert|500|C|C K F|lk=on|order=out}}.{{r|nasa4}} Various properties of the [[solar wind]] were also measured for the first time.{{r|nasa4}}

=== Scientific observations ===
[[File:Mariner 2 radiometric scans.png|thumb|Radiometric scanning of Venus]]
[[File:Mariner 2 venus data.jpg|thumb|A print-out of data from the flyby]]
The microwave radiometer made three scans of Venus in 35 minutes on December 14, 1962, starting at 18:59 UTC.{{r|Barath_Mar63}} The first scan was made on the dark side, the second was near the terminator, and the third was located on the light side.{{r|Barath_Mar63|Sonett}} The scans with the 19&nbsp;mm band revealed peak temperatures of {{Convert|490 ± 11|K|C F|order=}} on the dark side, 595&nbsp;±&nbsp;12&nbsp;K near the terminator, and 511&nbsp;±&nbsp;14&nbsp;K on the light side.{{r|Pollack_Sagan}} It was concluded that there is no significant difference in temperature across Venus.{{r|Barath_Mar63|Sonett}} However, the results suggest a [[limb darkening]], an effect which presents cooler temperatures near the edge of the planetary disk and higher temperatures near the center.{{r|nasa9|Barath_Feb64|Barath_Mar63|Sonett|Pollack_Sagan|Kaplan}} This was evidence for the theory that the Venusian surface was extremely hot and the atmosphere optically thick.{{r|Barath_Mar63|Sonett|Pollack_Sagan}}

The infrared radiometer showed that the 8.4&nbsp;μm and 10.4&nbsp;μm radiation temperatures were in agreement with radiation temperatures obtained from Earth-based measurements.{{r|Chase_Nov63}} There was no systematic difference between the temperatures measured on the light side and dark side of the planet, which was also in agreement with Earth-based measurements.{{r|Chase_Nov63}} The limb darkening effect that the microwave radiometer detected was also present in the measurements by both channels of the infrared radiometer.{{r
|Chase_Nov63|Sonett|Kaplan}} The effect was only slightly present in the 10.4&nbsp;μm channel but was more pronounced in the 8.4&nbsp;μm channel.{{r|Sonett}} The 8.4&nbsp;μm channel also showed a slight phase effect. The phase effect indicated that if a greenhouse effect existed, heat was transported in an efficient manner from the light side to the dark side of the planet.{{{r|Sonett}} The 8.4&nbsp;μm and 10.4&nbsp;μm showed equal radiation  temperatures, indicating that the limb darkening effect would appear to come from a cloud structure rather than the atmosphere.{{r|Chase_Nov63}} Thus, if the measured temperatures were actually cloud temperatures instead of surface temperatures, then these clouds would have to be quite thick.{{r|Chase_Mar63|Sonett|Kaplan}}

The magnetometer detected a persistent interplanetary magnetic field varying between 2&nbsp;γ and 10&nbsp;γ ([[Tesla (unit)|nanotesla]]), which agrees with prior ''[[Pioneer 5]]'' observations from 1960. This also means that interplanetary space is rarely empty or field-free.{{r|Coleman}} The magnetometer could detect changes of about 4&nbsp;γ on any of the axes, but no trends above 10&nbsp;γ were detected near Venus, nor were fluctuations seen like those that appear at Earth's [[magnetosphere|magnetospheric]] termination. This means that Mariner 2 found no detectable magnetic field near Venus, although that did not necessarily mean that Venus had none.{{r|Sonett|Smith1963}} However, if Venus had a magnetic field, then it would have to be at least smaller than 1/10 the magnetic field of the Earth.{{r|Smith1963|nasa5}} In 1980, ''[[Pioneer Venus Orbiter|Pioneer 12]]'' indeed showed that Venus has a small weak magnetic field.{{r|Kivelson_Russell}}

The Anton type 213 Geiger-Müller tube performed as expected.{{r|nasa7}} The average rate was 0.6 counts per second. Increases in its counting rate were larger and more frequent than for the two larger tubes, since it was more sensitive to particles of lower energy.{{r|report}} It detected seven small solar bursts of radiation during September and October and 2 during November and December.{{r|nasa6}} The absence of a detectable magnetosphere was also confirmed by the tube; it detected no radiation belt at Venus similar to that of Earth. The count rate would have increased by 10<sup>4</sup>, but no change was measured.{{r|report|Frank1963}}

It was also shown that in interplanetary space, the [[solar wind]] streams continuously,{{r|Neugebauer_Snyder|Ness_Wilcox}} confirming a prediction by [[Eugene Parker]],{{r|nyt-20180810}} and the cosmic dust density is much lower than the near-Earth region.{{r|Alexander}}
Improved estimates of Venus' mass and the value of the Astronomical Unit were made. Also, research, which was later confirmed by Earth-based radar and other explorations, suggested that Venus rotates very slowly and in a direction opposite that of the Earth.{{r|Goldstein_Carpenter}}