Warming in the solar system has become a hot topic these days, and I’ve been getting lots of questions that go something like this: I’ve read that other planets have global warming. There are no SUVs on other planets, so the warming must be due to increased energy from the sun. Doesn’t that mean that Earth’s warming is also due to increased solar energy?
The short answer is, whatever warming there may be on other planets is not due to changes in the Sun. Scientists have thoroughly investigated this possibility, and in nearly 30 years of satellite observations, we’ve seen no increase in overall solar output. (For more on this, see our article on global warming and solar activity [PDF].)
Solar variation cannot explain global warming on any planet, including Earth. So what’s up with our neighbors?