MERCURY
Planet No. 1 • Closest to the Sun
Welcome to the Mercury information file! Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and the planet closest to the Sun. Use this page to explore facts, features, temperatures, missions and other information about this tiny rocky world.
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PLANET OVERVIEW
Mercury is a small, rocky planet covered with
craters.
Because it is so close to the Sun, Mercury
completes its orbit much faster than Earth does.
A year on Mercury lasts only about 88 Earth days!
Even though Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, it is not the hottest planet in the solar system. That title belongs to Venus.
Even though Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, it is not the hottest planet in the solar system. That title belongs to Venus.
☀ LOCATION
Mercury is the first planet from the Sun.
Its average distance from the Sun is about
36 million miles.
SIZE
Mercury is the smallest major planet in the
solar system.
It is only a little larger than Earth's Moon.
SURFACE
Mercury has a rocky, heavily cratered surface.
It can look a little like Earth's Moon because
both worlds have been struck by many objects
over billions of years.
☾ ATMOSPHERE
Mercury does not have a thick atmosphere like
Earth.
Instead, it has an extremely thin layer of
particles surrounding it.
✦ MERCURY FAST FACTS ✦
| Position from Sun | 1st planet |
| Planet Type | Rocky / Terrestrial |
| Length of Year | About 88 Earth days |
| Moons | 0 |
| Rings | None |
| Diameter | About 3,032 miles |
| Famous Feature | Caloris Basin |
WHAT IS MERCURY LIKE?
Mercury is a world of extremes.
During the daytime, parts of the surface can become
extremely hot.
At night, temperatures can drop dramatically.
Its surface contains plains, cliffs and enormous impact craters. One of the most famous is the giant Caloris Basin.
Its surface contains plains, cliffs and enormous impact craters. One of the most famous is the giant Caloris Basin.
★ DID YOU KNOW? ★
Mercury's real color is a dull, dark light gray, very similar in appearance to Earth's moon. Its rocky and dusty surface is made of silicate rock and carbon-rich materials, lacking the vibrant red or yellow hues often seen in artistic illustrations
Mercury's real color is a dull, dark light gray, very similar in appearance to Earth's moon. Its rocky and dusty surface is made of silicate rock and carbon-rich materials, lacking the vibrant red or yellow hues often seen in artistic illustrations
SPACECRAFT MISSION LOG
> DESTINATION: MERCURY
> MARINER 10
One of the first spacecraft to closely study Mercury.
> MESSENGER
Entered orbit around Mercury and mapped much of the planet's surface.
> STATUS: SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION CONTINUES...
> MARINER 10
One of the first spacecraft to closely study Mercury.
> MESSENGER
Entered orbit around Mercury and mapped much of the planet's surface.
> STATUS: SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION CONTINUES...