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Mercury

Fun Facts

• 2nd smallest
• No moons

Where is Mercury?

36 million miles away

60% closer

Mercury is so close to the sun

Size of Mercury

Small, rocky planet

It is the same size of our moon!

Diameter – 3,032 miles (4,878 km)

Did you Know?

Evidence of ice!

colder than -161 C

Where did Mercury get the name?

After the Roman god Mercury

god of commerce, travel, and thievery

Moves so quickly across the sky

The Length Mercury orbits the sun.

Earth orbits = 365 days

Mercury orbits = 88 days

What is the temperature?

Facing the sun - 840 degrees

Away from the sun - reach as low as -275 degrees

Dry, extremely hot, and almost airless

Atmosphere of Mercury

Gravity?

Weak atmosphere

Most Distinctive Feature....

Caloris Basin

Similar to the large circular basins found on the moon

This Basin was filled by lava flows

Fun Fact about the Caloris Basin

Probably created by a gaint impact early in the history of the solar system.

Life?

Lack of oxygen

Intense heat

No life form

The closest planet to the sun.

Rosalba Oliverio

Wrinkle ridges

Mercury size in relation....

Inside Mercury

• Mercury’s density is similar to Earth’s, but planet is only ~1/3 the size of Earth.
• Large iron core and generates a magnetic field.