What are facts about the planet mercury?

Answer 1

Some facts about Mercury and the reasons behind them:

(*for the element mercury, see the related question)

1. It is the closest planet to the sun and is the smallest planet in the solar system
2. Until recently, humans had only seen one half of Mercury. The Mariner 10 space probe (1974-1975) passed the planet three times, but each time saw the same side in sunlight.
3. Mercury has no moons. It is probably too close to the Sun to allow a stable orbit.
4. Mercury has a magnetic field. Unlike our Moon, it has an iron core. But the field is only about 1% as strong as Earth's.
5. There may be ice on Mercury. Deep craters near the poles never receive much sunlight.
6. NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has been orbiting Mercury beginning in March, 2011.
7. Mercury is about 4880 kilometers in diameter, only 2/5 the size of Earth.
8. It is a rocky planet and an inner planet.
9. Its surface temperature varies dramatically from more than 800°F (on the sunlit side) to nearly -300°F (on the side facing away)
10. Mercury has virtually no atmosphere, only a thin collection of gas near its surface. Its surface is heavily cratered.
11. One year for Mercury is 88 Earth days. It slowly turns one every 58.65 Earth days. The result is a very long solar day(sunrise to sunrise) of 156 Earth days.
12. It is one of the five planets known to the ancients, they called these planets "wandering stars."
13. It was named for the Roman god Mercury, a winged messenger.
14. It circles the sun faster than any other planet
15. The plant and animal life of the Earth could not live on Mercury because of the lack of oxygen and the intense heat
16. From Earth, it appears as a bright, light blue spot of light.

More Details on Mercury

Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the solar system, orbiting the Sun once every 88 days. It appears as a bright star from Earth, shortly after sunset or shortly before sunrise.

Mercury is similar to the Moon; it is heavily cratered, and has no substantial atmosphere. However, unlike the moon, it has a large molten iron core, which gives it a magnetic field (still only about 1% as strong as Earth's).

Its surface temperature ranges between -300°F and 800°F. It is coldest in craters near the poles, which never receive much solar heating. As the planet completes one slow turn about its axis, most of its surface experiences 88 Earth days of scorching sun followed by 88 Earth days of incredibly frigid night. Because it has virtually no atmosphere, there is little heat exchange between the opposite sides of the planet.

More information is being gained by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, which mapped about 40% of the planet during flybys in 2008 and 2009. The probe began orbiting in March 2011, and will survey and map the entire planet.

Answer 2

Mercury the planet: 1. closest planet to the sun, 2. no atmosphere, 3. surface temperature very hot.

Mercury the element: 1. only metal that's a liquid at room temp., 2. used in thermometers, 3. used to be called hydrargyrum, which is why it's still abbreviated "Hg."

Answer 3

1 is that it is the closest planet to the sun 2 it has 2 moons 1 is ganymede and the second is titan

Answer 4

Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt.

closest to the sun very hot