The planet Venus is entirely shrouded by clouds between the altitudes of about 50 km to about 70 km. Above and below these altitudes, there is evidence for further collections of clouds and aerosols. The ubiquity and contrast variation in these clouds are sufficient to provide information about the behavior of the horizontal winds and their variability in time and space. However, as on Earth, the clouds and aerosols play a key role in the energy balance of the atmosphere, and participate in a number of feedbacks that can both drive and be driven by the atmospheric motions. For example, the clouds reflect more than 75% of the incoming solar radiation; and they co-exist with an unknown absorber of ultraviolet radiation that is responsible for the absorption of nearly half of all the remaining sunlight deposited at the planet. Dr. McGouldrick will discuss some of the knowns and unknowns regarding the planet Venus with regard to clouds and aerosols and their effect on the atmosphere, with particular attention on some of the findings of the recent Akatsuki mission led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.