Mass: 330,104,000,000,000 billion kg (0.055 x Earth)
Equatorial Diameter: 4,879 Polar Diameter: 4,879 Equatorial Circumference: 15,329 km Moons: none Orbit Distance: 57,909,227 km (0.39 AU) Orbit Period: 87.97 Earth days Surface Temperature: -173 to 427°C First Record: 14th century BC Recorded By: Assyrian astronomers Facts about Mercury
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1 year on Mercury is just 88 days long:
One day on Mercury lasts the equivalent of 176 Earth days. Mercury is nearly tidally locked to the Sun and over time this has slowed the rotation of the planet to almost match its orbit around the Sun.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System:
One of five planets visible with the naked eye, Mercury is just 4,879 Kilometers across its equator, compared with 12,742 Kilometers for the Earth.
Mercury has a molten core:
In recent years scientists from NASA have come to believe the solid iron core of Mercury could in fact be molten. Normally the core of smaller planets cools rapidly, but after extensive research, the results were not in line with those expected from a solid core. Scientists now believe the core to contain a lighter element such as sulfur, which would lower the melting temperature of the core material.
Mercury is only the second hottest planet:
Despite being further from the Sun, Venus experiences higher temperatures. The surface of Mercury which faces the Sun sees temperatures of up to 427°C, whilst on the alternate side this can be as low as -173°C. This is due to the planet having no atmosphere to help regulate the temperature.
Only two spacecraft have ever visited Mercury:
Owing to its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is a difficult planet to visit. During 1974 and 1975 Mariner 10 flew by Mercury three times, during this time they mapped just under half of the planet’s surface. On August 3rd 2004, the Messenger probe was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, this was the first spacecraft to visit since the mid 1970’s.
Mercury is named for the Roman messenger to the gods:
The exact date of Mercury’s discovery is unknown as it pre-dates its first historical mention, one of the first mentions being by the Sumerians around in 3,000 BC.
One day on Mercury lasts the equivalent of 176 Earth days. Mercury is nearly tidally locked to the Sun and over time this has slowed the rotation of the planet to almost match its orbit around the Sun.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System:
One of five planets visible with the naked eye, Mercury is just 4,879 Kilometers across its equator, compared with 12,742 Kilometers for the Earth.
Mercury has a molten core:
In recent years scientists from NASA have come to believe the solid iron core of Mercury could in fact be molten. Normally the core of smaller planets cools rapidly, but after extensive research, the results were not in line with those expected from a solid core. Scientists now believe the core to contain a lighter element such as sulfur, which would lower the melting temperature of the core material.
Mercury is only the second hottest planet:
Despite being further from the Sun, Venus experiences higher temperatures. The surface of Mercury which faces the Sun sees temperatures of up to 427°C, whilst on the alternate side this can be as low as -173°C. This is due to the planet having no atmosphere to help regulate the temperature.
Only two spacecraft have ever visited Mercury:
Owing to its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is a difficult planet to visit. During 1974 and 1975 Mariner 10 flew by Mercury three times, during this time they mapped just under half of the planet’s surface. On August 3rd 2004, the Messenger probe was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, this was the first spacecraft to visit since the mid 1970’s.
Mercury is named for the Roman messenger to the gods:
The exact date of Mercury’s discovery is unknown as it pre-dates its first historical mention, one of the first mentions being by the Sumerians around in 3,000 BC.