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Mercury is the first planet from the Sun and the smallest in the Solar System. In English, it is named after the ancient Roman god Mercurius , god of commerce and communication, and the messenger of the gods. Mercury is classified as a terrestrial planet, with roughly the same surface gravity as Mars.
Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name survives, as it was decided it was preferable to "quicksilver" as a chemical name. History. Mercury was found in Egyptian tombs that date from 1500 BC; cinnabar, the most common natural source of mercury, has been in use since the Neolithic Age.
Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in our solar system— that title belongs to nearby Venus, thanks to its dense atmosphere. But Mercury is the fastest planet, zipping around the Sun every 88 Earth days. Mercury is appropriately named for the swiftest of the ancient Roman gods.
Jun 3, 2024 · Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system and the eighth in size and mass. Its closeness to the Sun and its smallness make it the most elusive of the planets visible to the unaided eye. Because its rising or setting is always within about two hours of the Sun’s, it is never observable when the sky is fully dark.
Introduction Mercury’s surface temperatures are both extremely hot and cold. Because the planet is so close to the Sun, day temperatures can reach highs of 800°F (430°C). Without an atmosphere to retain that heat at night, temperatures can dip as low as -290°F (-180°C).
Jun 3, 2024 · Mercury is a terrestrial planet. It is small and rocky. Mercury has a thin exosphere. Mercury’s surface can be as hot as 800 degrees F during the daytime and as cold as -300 degrees F during the nighttime. (But Mercury is not the hottest planet in the solar system. The hottest planet is Venus.) Mercury’s poles have water-ice ...
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. Mercury is ...
A Brief Overview of Mercury. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and the smallest planet in the solar system. It has a large iron core that accounts for about three-quarters of its mass. By contrast, Earth ’s iron core accounts for only one-third of its mass. Compare the sizes and order of the planets.
Oct 20, 2023 · That makes it the smallest planet in the solar system. In fact, Mercury is just a little larger than Earth’s Moon. Distance from the Sun: Mercury is the closest planet to our star, with its ...
Mercury is the smallest planet in the 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. Mercury is the second densest planet. Even though the planet is small, Mercury is very dense.
