Venus is often called Earth's "twin" because they're similar in size and mass. However, that's where the similarities end. Here's what Venus looks like:

From afar:

* A bright, white dot: Venus is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon, appearing as a brilliant white dot.

* Phases like the Moon: Due to its orbit, Venus shows phases similar to the Moon, changing from a thin crescent to a full disk and back.

From space:

* Thick, yellowish clouds: Venus is shrouded in thick, dense clouds of sulfuric acid, giving it a yellowish appearance. These clouds reflect sunlight, making it so bright from Earth.

* No surface features visible: The clouds are so thick that they block any view of the surface.

* Whirlwinds and storms: The Venusian atmosphere is extremely active, with strong winds and swirling storms.

From the surface (hypothetically):

* Extremely hot and dense: The surface temperature is a scorching 867°F (464°C), hot enough to melt lead. The atmospheric pressure is 92 times that of Earth, equivalent to being 900 meters (3,000 feet) underwater.

* Rocky, volcanic landscape: The surface is dominated by volcanic plains, mountains, and vast lava flows.

* Orange-red sky: The thick atmosphere scatters sunlight, giving the sky an orange-red hue.

To summarize, Venus looks like a bright, white object in the sky with a thick, yellowish cloud cover obscuring its surface. Its surface is a scorching, barren wasteland with a dense, toxic atmosphere.

It's important to note that no spacecraft has ever landed on Venus and survived for long due to the extreme conditions. We rely on data from orbiters and radar to understand what the surface looks like.