It is the planet of daytoday expression and communication. Moons, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids are also part of our. It is an opportunistic planet, decidedly unemotional and curious. Mercury can also get as low as 270 degrees at its night. The planet closest to the sun, mercury, is the subject of renewed attention among planetary scientists, as two major space missions will visit it within the next decade. The planet mercury is a bit larger than the earths moon. Planet facts fun and interesting information about the. Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet.
Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet mercury. Because of its nearness to the sun, it is seven times hotter than on earth. Next to the planet pluto, mercury is one of the least explored planets within our solar system. Mercury is only slightly larger than the earths moon. Despite its closeness to the sun, it is not the hottest planet, that title belongs to venus but mercury is the fastest planet, completing a trip around the sun in 88. At a distance of only about of earths distance to sun, mercury is the first planet in our solar system. It is a terrestrial planet, which means it is an earthlike planet made up of rocks or metals and has a hard surface. A urine test is better for measuring mercury when the exposure has happened over a period of several weeks or more. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun in our solar system and is a member of the family of terrestrial planets. Mercury is even smaller than some of the largest moons in the solar system, such as ganymede and titan. Mercury mercury is the innermost and second smallest planet 4,878 kilometers 3,024 miles in diameter in the solar system 1 pluto is the smallest. It mapped the entire surface of mercury before crashing into the planet in 2015. Mercury, the messenger of the gods, is the ruler of gemini and virgo. It is the smallest planet in our solar system and the closest planet to the sun.
It zips around our sun at an average of 172,000 kilometers per hour 107,000 miles per hour about 65,000 kph 40,000 mph faster than earth. Mercury facts information, history, location, size. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and is also the smallest of the eight planets in our solar system. However, mercury has a very thin atmosphere, so the heat of the day escapes very quickly at nighttime. For every 2 orbits of the sun, which takes around 88 earth days, mercury completes three rotations of its axis. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and due to its proximity it is not easily seen except during twilight.
However, after the ouster of pluto from the category of planets, mercury has occupied the position of the smallest planet in our solar system. The diameter of planet mercury is 4,878 km 3,031 miles 5. Visited only once in all the years of solar system exploration three brief flybys of mariner 10 during 197475, only about 45% of mercurys surface has been imaged from nearby. This website, provides facts about the planets which will amaze and interest you. It is named after the roman deity mercury, the messenger of the gods. National aeronautics and space administrationnational. Earlier, pluto held the record for being the smallest planet in the solar system. With a diameter of only 4880 kilometers 3032 miles mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. Mercury is one of four inner planets in the solar system, and has a rocky body like the earth. Because mercury was the fastest planet as it moved around the sun, it is named after the roman deity mercury, the messenger of t. Unlike other planets, mercury has absolutely no moons, and thats because of its low gravity and no atmosphere. Since the beginning of time, humans have been fascinated by the planets in outer space. Planet facts fun and interesting information about the nine. Mercury is the only metallic element that is a liquid at room temperature.
Only slightly larger than the earths moon, mercury s surface is covered with craters. During the day, temperatures can reach a blistering 806 f 430 c, which is hot enough to melt lead. A blood test is the most accurate for a recent exposure, for example one that occurred less than a week earlier. These views, based on data from nasas messenger spacecraft, show the planet s surface in stunning detail. It is the smallest planet in the solar system, with a radius of 2,439. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun but, perhaps surprisingly, it does not have the highest temperatures. The explanation for this resonant but asynchronous rotation of mercury. It is about the same size as earths moon and is covered with craters where meteorites and asteroids have crashed into it. Data from messengers scientific instruments have provided a. The nine planets mercury is the closest planet to the sun. Mercurys eccentric orbit takes the small planet as close as.
Mercury is the fastestorbiting planet in our solar system. Mercury facts interesting facts about planet mercury. Mercury is the second densest planet in the solar system after earth. Go over some fun facts about the planet mercury with the questions in this quiz and worksheet. May transits when transits of mercury happen in may, the planet. Mercury has no atmosphere and no known satellites, perhaps because of its proximity to the sun 4. Apr 29, 2015 the planet mercury will soon be at its best for skywatchers on earth.
Mercurys action is to take things apart and put them back together again. That makes it only slightly larger than earths moon. Mercury has no atmosphere and no known satellites, perhaps because of its proximity to the sun. It is a poisonous metal, and the vapors of mercury are readily absorbed into the body through the respiratory tract, the digestive tract, and the skin. Mercury is also the smallest planet in the solar system. A day on mercury lasts a lot longer than a day on earth. Although mercury is close to the sun, the long night means some parts are very hot, and other parts are cold. Together with the sun, these planets make up our solar system. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. Archived from the original pdf on september 11, 2006. The planet mercury will soon be at its best for skywatchers on earth. It is gravitationally locked and this rotation is unique to the solar system.
Transit of mercury mercury planet facts dk find out. The transit of mercury can be seen on 9 may 2016, 11 november 2019, and november 2032. Mercury was only discovered as a planet it 1543, nobody realised it was a planet. There are so many interesting facts about the first planet in our solar system. The first visit to mercury was a flyby made by the mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974. Planet facts for kids science for kids fun facts to learn. Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the solar system, and is a rocky body like earth.
Your weight on mercury would be 38% of your weight on earth. This dense metal is atomic number 80 with element symbol hg. Planet mercury the planet mercury is the closest planet to the sun. You havent taken a wrong turn and touched down on the moon. Mercury orbits the sun in 88 days, which means 1 earth year on mercury is 88 days. Mercurys proximity to the sun has also been exploited to confirm predictions made by relativity theory about the way gravity affects space and time. The planets are in motion and travel around the sun in oval shaped paths called orbits. Messenger was launched in 2004, flew past the planet twice in 2008 and once in 2009, and settled into orbit in 2011. Mercury is the messenger in astrology as it is in mythology. Its generally moonlike appearance is illustrated in. Okay this might shock youwe know that mercury is one seriously hot place, but there is another planet that is hotter. Computer simulated global view of venus this global.
Mercury fun facts cool kid facts fun facts for kids. Mercury facts interesting facts about planet mercury space facts. Which side of the planet is the sun on in this photo. Mercury goes around the sun once every 88 earth days. This collection of mercury facts includes atomic data, the electron configuration, chemical and physical properties, and history of the element. As of the beginning of the twentyfirst century, mariner 10 had been the only spacecraft to explore the planet. This discovery showed that the orbital and rotation periods are in fact in an exact 2. It cannot be easily seen as it is usually too close to the sun. At an incredible speed of 50 km per second 180,000 kmh, it is the fastest planet to travel through space. Mercury is also the smallest planet in the solar system, measuring just 3,032 miles wide at its equator. A day on the surface of mercury lasts 176 earth days.
Mercury is bright when it is visible from earth, ranging from. Mercury is usually hidden from our sight by the brightness of the sun. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system 2. However, it is very cold at night because the atmosphere of the planet cannot hold in the heat because it is too thin. Because mercury was the fastest planet as it moved around the sun, it is named after the roman deity mercury, the messenger of the gods. The planet orbits the sun at an average distance of around 36 million miles 58 million km, compared with 93 million miles 150 million kilometers for earth.
Mercury planet mercury is the closest planet to the sun. Mercurys orbit around the sun is the fastest orbit of all the solar system planets. Planet worksheet planet fact sheet there are nine planets that travel around the sun. Only slightly larger than the earths moon, mercurys surface is covered with craters. Earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune, and pluto.
Okay we cant really take you there, but heres everything you need to know about this amazing planet. Mar 06, 2020 mercury is the closest planet to the sun at a distance of 57. Oct 19, 2018 mercury is also the smallest planet in the solar system, measuring just 3,032 miles wide at its equator. Jupiters moon ganymede and saturns moon titan are both larger than the closest planet to the sun. Astronomy for kids mercury mercury the winged messenger tiny mercury is the second smallest planet in our solar system, only pluto is smaller. It has a diameter of only 3,032 miles 4,879 km, around 40% of earths diameter. The entire planet has now been imaged, revealing a surface that has been shaped both by extensive volcanism and impacts. Mercury is the second hottest planet in the solar system, reaching up to 800 degrees. Mercury is sometimes called the evening star when it is near where the sun has set, or as a the morning star when it near where the sun will rise. These views, based on data from nasas messenger spacecraft, show the planets surface in stunning detail. Mercury has a different type of ice that can form in warm.
Mercury is closest to the sun as compared to other planets order of the planets from the sun. It was the first spacecraft to orbit mercury, providing pictures and data from all over the planet. Mercury, the planet nearest the sun, is also the smallest planet in the solar system. The diameter of planet mercury is 4,878 km 3,031 miles. Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the solar system.
Mercury is used in the manufacturing of mercury vapor lamps, which are used for street lighting. It is the smallest planet in the solar system, with an equatorial radius of 2,439. Its very similar in size to earth, but very different in lots of other ways. Mercury is a small planet which orbits closer to the sun than any other planet in our solar system. Mission to mercury get the facts on mercury, the closest planet to the sun. As well as facts, we offer a range of other things, such as pictures, history, wallpapers and more. However, it has a greater mass than the largest moons in the solar system. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, but venus is the hottest. Thats why ive created this fun printable with all the facts. Our quiz provides a great opportunity to study this.
Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system, is a little bigger than the earths moon. As a matter of fact, there are two moons in the solar system that are larger than this planet. Mercury may be the closest planet to the sun but it experiences temperature changes that are the most extreme of any planet in the solar system, including dropping to 275 f170 c. Free printable pdf with mercury facts reading the facts is one thing and it can be sufficient if your kid is a reading type but visualising things can be even better. In classical greece it was called apollo when it appeared as a morning star just before sunrise and hermes, the greek equivalent of the roman god mercury, when it appeared as an evening star just after sunset. Mercury reading comprehension worksheet answer key item 3016. Mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune, and pluto the dwarf planet 2. Dont panic when you peer from the porthole of your spaceship as it plummets to the surface of mercury. The difficulty in seeing it notwithstanding, mercury was known at least by sumerian times, some 5,000 years ago. It is a small world only slightly larger than earths moon. Hermes was the swift messenger of the gods, and the planets name is.