Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system 2. Mercury completes 3 rotations about its axis, for each 2 orbits of the sun and up till 1965 it had thought that a similar side of mercury constantly faced the sun. With the exception of uranus and neptune, each of these planets can be seen unaided. Fun mercury facts for kids cool information about this. The largest planet is jupiter, followed by saturn, uranus, neptune, earth, venus, mars and, the smallest planet, mercury. That may be the most obvious fact about the planet. The planets atmosphere is so thin that scientists have another name for it.
In fact, venus has more volcanoes than any other planet in the solar system. The planet mercury is a bit larger than the earths moon. Jupiter has more than double the mass of all the other planets combined. Venus does not experience any seasons because of its limited axial tilt of just 3 degrees 9. Oct 19, 2018 living up to its name, mercury is the fastest planet in the solar system, speeding along at about 29 miles per second and completing each orbit around the sun in just 88 earth days. So, i have listed down some interesting facts about mercury, the planet. Facts about planet mercury published on aug 11, 2011 i introduce my file facts about mercury. What are some interesting facts about the planet mercury. Temperatures range from well below zero on the surface to nearly 800f on the sunlit side of the planet. Before the first spacecrafts flew to mercury to take pictures of its surface, some astronomers believed that the planet would have a smooth surface. Jan 28, 2015 mercury has the thinnest atmosphere of any planet in the solar system.
It cannot be easily seen as it is usually too close to the sun. In 1986, voyager 2 visited uranus, until then, little was known about this planet. Jupiter facts for kids interesting facts about planet. Because mercury was the fastest planet as it moved around the sun, it is named after the roman deity mercury, the messenger of t.
In 1957, the ussr launched a stray dog named laika into earths orbit to test whether living creatures could survive space travel. This book will rocket mercury to the top of the must visit next planet list. While earth ranks first in terms of being the densest planet, mercury isnt far behind and is the secondmost densest planet in our solar system with a metallic core spanning between 3,600 and 3,800 kilometers or. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. Sitting near the bullseye of a cosmic shooting gallery, mercury is the most cratered planet in the system, with a surface littered with new impact craters found inside older ones. It is the smallest planet in our solar system and the closest planet to the sun. As the fifth planet in the solar system, jupiter is a tad more than five times the distance of the sun than earth is.
In these switches, the liquid mercury serves as a contact material. Mercury is a very wrinkly planet and aside from that it has the most number of craters in our solar systems because of its numerous runins with meteorites and comets. That means that there are fewer than 2 days in a year. Its only the second hottest planet, though, as unlike the hottest plant venus with its thick atmosphere, mercurys thin atmosphere is less able to trap in the heat. Here are ten fascinating facts about mercury that make it unique. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, the distance between them being 35,980,000 miles 57,910,000 km. Mercury is the smallest of all the 8 planets in our solar system. One of five planets visible with the naked eye a, mercury is just 4,879 kilometres across its equator, compared with 12,742 kilometres for the earth. In our solar system of planets the 5 closets planets to the sun are made largely of rocky material. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and due to its proximity it is not easily seen except during twilight mercury is only the second hottest planet. This is due to the fact that its magnetic field is tilted 60 degrees from the axis of rotation. As well as being very hot, it features a barren, crater covered surface which looks similar to earths moon. The diameter of planet mercury is 4,878 km 3,031 miles.
Nov 22, 2016 i hope that you enjoy reading my 15 facts about mercury and find them interesting and fun. Fascinating facts list about planet mercury interesting. While earth ranks first in terms of being the densest planet, mercury isnt far behind and is the secondmost densest planet in our solar system with a metallic core spanning between 3,600 and 3,800 kilometers or 2,200 and 2,400 miles. Mercurys craters are named after famous artists, musicians and authors venus is the hottest planet in the solar system earths atmosphere protects us from meteoroids and radiation from the sun there have been more missions to mars than any other planet jupiter has more than double the mass of all the other planets combined. A year for a planet is the amount of time that it takes to complete an orbit around the sun, and for jupiter this takes 4,333 earth days. I hope that you enjoy reading my 15 facts about mercury and find them interesting and fun. It is further away from the sun than any other planet in our solar system. When mariner 10 took pictures of mercury during its flyby of venus and mercury in november 1973, scientists discovered that mercury is the most cratered planet in the solar system with a surface similar to earths moon. Mercurys orbit around the sun is the fastest orbit of all the solar system planets. It is a terrestrial planet, which means it is an earthlike planet made up of rocks or metals and has a hard surface.
Mercury is the second hottest planet in the solar system, reaching up to 800 degrees. Its normal appearance is a liquid with silvery surface, hence its also called as quick silver. Its highest mountain maxwell montes, is in fact, 8. Mercury is a small planet which orbits closer to the sun than any other planet in our solar system. Mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus and neptune. Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the solar system, and is a rocky body like earth.
Enjoy amazing trivia and have fun learning about the planets found in our solar system. An interesting fact about venus is that it has the most circular orbit of any planet in the solar system 8. The core at mercurys center is mostly made up of iron and takes up about 75% of the planets radius. Neptune is one seriously large planet that has some really extreme weather conditions. Mercury switches are used in electrical appliances and vehicles. Mercury is so close to the sun, it is hard to directly observe it from earth except during dawn or twilight. If you could stand on mercury when it makes its closest approach to the sun 29 million miles, it would appear three times bigger than the sun does from earth. Jan 31, 2011 mercury, the first planet we name in the solar system back when we were kids. Sadly, laika died in orbit, as her vessel lacked the ability to return to earth. Scientist have named these wrinkles, lobate scarps. Mercurys day the length of time it takes to orbit the sun is 88 earth days.
Mercury orbits the sun in 88 days, which means 1 earth year on mercury is 88 days. Mercury has no atmosphere and no known satellites, perhaps because of its proximity to the sun. Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet. Heres some cool and fun facts about the planet mercury. There are deposits of ice at the poles of mercury, in places where sunlight is never seen. Mercurys craters are named after famous artists, musicians and authors. Mercury can also get as low as 270 degrees at its night. The planet venus is a little smaller than earth and similar in mass and density, what its made up of.
It is named after the roman deity mercury, the messenger of the gods like venus, mercury orbits the sun within earths orbit as an inferior planet, and its apparent distance from the sun as viewed from earth never exceeds 28. If you include dwarf planets as well, the planets in order becomes. However, it is hot enough to have liquid lead on the surface on the sunside, but the nightside drops down to as little as 173c 280f. Mercury has no atmosphere and no known satellites, perhaps because of its proximity to the sun 4. These scarps can be up to a mile high and hundreds of miles long. As the iron core of the planet cooled and contracted, the surface of the planet became wrinkled. One of the fascinating facts about mercury is that 75% of its mass is the iron core which was very hot at one point. Oct 26, 2016 mercury completes 3 rotations about its axis, for each 2 orbits of the sun and up till 1965 it had thought that a similar side of mercury constantly faced the sun. Living up to its name, mercury is the fastest planet in the solar system, speeding along at about 29 miles per second and completing each orbit around the sun in just 88 earth days. Here are some common salts of mercury, along with their uses. The first visit to mercury was a flyby made by the mariner 10 spacecraft in. For every two orbits of the sun, mercury completes three rotations about its axis and up until 1965 it was thought that the same side of mercury constantly faced the sun. Dec 23, 2015 close by the sun is mercury, a practically atmospherelike world that has a lot of craters. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system if we dont consider pluto with a diameter of 4879 km, mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system.
Jupiters moon ganymede and saturns moon titan are both larger than the closest planet to the sun. Mercury its atomic symbol is hg hydtagyrum which in greek means water silver. Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet mercury. There have been more missions to mars than any other planet. After the earth, mercury is the second densest planet. The first visit to mercury was a flyby made by the mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974. However, there are many more interesting features that arent so obvious. May 09, 2016 here are some interesting facts courtesy nasa. Mercury takes 59 days to make a rotation but only 88 days to circle the sun. Mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune each fact sheet includes. Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the solar system.
The smallest of these is mercury, and it also happens to be the planet in closest orbit to the sun. Learn more about the planet mercury with these 10 interesting facts about the planet closest to the sun. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and due to its proximity it is not easily seen except during twilight. Interesting facts about mercury the planet all that is. Mercury is bright when it is visible from earth, ranging from. It is the smallest planet in the solar system, with an equatorial radius of 2,439. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Thirteen times a century mercury can be observed from the earth passing across the face of the sun in an event.
Mercury is also smalleralbeit more massivethan the largest natural satellites in the solar system, ganymede and titan. The planet s atmosphere is so thin that scientists have another name for it. Mercury facts interesting facts about planet mercury. What this means is that on venus the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, which is the opposite to earth. Mercury does have a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. Distance from sun order from the sun diameter of the planet fun facts about the planet. It has no rings round it, no moons and it spins backwards. It is named after the ancient roman god of trade and profit. Until nasas messenger spacecraft arrived there in 2008, we knew very little about the planet only. The diameter of planet mercury is 4,878 km 3,031 miles 5. Close by the sun is mercury, a practically atmospherelike world that has a lot of craters. Despite its small size, mercury is very dense because it is composed mainly of heavy metals and rock the main characteristic of terrestrial planets.
Many astronomers believe that mercury might be the core of what was once a much larger planet it appears to be a. Planet mercury preschool science experiment science. Venus has mountains, valleys and hundreds of volcanoes. Mercury, the first planet we name in the solar system back when we were kids. Order of the planets the order of planets from closest to farthest from the sun are mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus and neptune. Thats about the only thing most people know about the planet mercury. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system with a diameter of 4,879 km and is one of five planets that is visible to the naked eye. Mercury travels around the sun more quickly than any of the other planets in the solar system. 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 our sun and is the smallest planet in our solar system.
Mercuric sulfate hgso 4 is used as a catalyst in chemical reactions. Not only does the mercury metal have many uses, but so do its salts. Mercury speeds through space at around 30 miles per second 50 km per second, faster than any other planet in the solar system. When mariner 10 took pictures of mercury during its flyby of venus and mercury in november 1973, scientists discovered that mercury is the most cratered planet in the solar system with a surface similar. In exploring mercury they have condensed all that is known to date about this enigmatic planet into a wellreferenced, eminently readable, accessible, and superbly illustrated monograph. Even though the planet is small, mercury is very dense. Mercury has the thinnest atmosphere of any planet in the solar system. As a matter of fact, there are two moons in the solar system that are larger than this planet.
Ten facts about mercury bob the aliens tour of the solar. Uranus is considered unusual because the planet is tipped on its side. Jan 12, 2018 without the atmosphere, mercury goes down to 180degree celsius at night. Astronomy for kids mercury mercury the winged messenger tiny mercury is the second smallest planet in our solar system, only pluto is smaller. Without the atmosphere, mercury goes down to 180degree celsius at night. Earths atmosphere protects us from meteoroids and radiation from the sun. Hitlers nephew earned a purple heart fighting for the allies in world. Aug 11, 2011 facts about planet mercury published on aug 11, 2011 i introduce my file facts about mercury. That wasnt always the case, on september, 2006, pluto was classified as a dwarf planet. The diameter of the metallic core is about 75% of the planet. If you are interested in the wonders of the universe, as planets, stars, black holes, theories, our solar system.