The rotation of a planet can be induced by several factors during formation. A net angular momentum can be induced by the individual angular momentum contributions of accreted objects. The accretion of gas by the giant planets contributes to the angular momentum. Finally, during the last stages of planet building, a stochastic process of protoplanetary accretion can randomly alter the spin axis of the planet. There is great variation in the length of day between the planets, with Venus taking 243 days to rotate, and the giant planets only a few hours. The rotational periods of exoplanets are not known, but for hot Jupiters, their proximity to their stars means that they are tidally locked (that is, their orbits are in sync with their rotations). This means, they always show one face to their stars, with one side in perpetual day, the other in perpetual night. Mercury and Venus, the closest planets to the Sun, similarly exhibit very slow rotation: Mercury is tidally locked into a 3:2 spin–orbit resonance (rotating three times for every two revolutions around the Sun), and Venus's rotation may be in equilibrium between tidal forces slowing it down and atmospheric tides created by solar heating speeding it up.
tHE rOtatiOn of A PlaNet cAn bE induCED bY SeVERAl fAcTors dUrINg fOrMation. a nEt angular MOmeNTum Can be induceD by the INDiVIDuaL Angular mOmeNtuM coNTrIbUTionS of AccrEted ObJEcts. tHE aCcretIOn Of gAS by thE GIaNt planETS ConTributes tO the aNGULar MoMentum. finAlly, duriNg tHe LaST STages Of plaNEt bUILdiNG, a sTochasTic procesS Of ProtoplanEtaRy ACcreTion can randoMlY aLter tHe spIn Axis Of tHe PLANet. tHere is GreAt VarIation In THe lengtH of Day beTweEN The planEts, wIth vENuS taKINg 243 days to roTaTe, aND the gianT PLanets onLy a few houRS. thE rOtATIoNaL PERiods oF exoPlAneTs Are noT KnOwn, but for hot JUpiters, their proXiMIty to theIr stars MeAns thAt tHey are TidalLy Locked (THAt is, tHEir orBiTs Are in SYnC With ThEIR RotATiOns). THis meanS, they always SHow ONe FaCe to thEir sTARs, With One SIdE In PerPETual day, tHe oTheR iN perPetual niGHT. mercuRy and vEnUs, the cloSest planets to tHe sun, SImilarLY exhiBit very slow roTation: mErcuRy iS tiDally loCkEd InTo a 3:2 sPiN–orbiT rEsonance (ROtaTing ThreE TiMes foR eVery TWO rEvolUtions aRound ThE suN), and VenuS's RotatIon mAy BE in equiliBRIum beTween tiDaL forceS SlowiNg it dOWn anD atmoSpheRic TIdes createD By soLar HEatING speEdINg it UP.