What is special about planet Mercury?
Mercury is also the smallest planet in the solar system, measuring just 3,032 miles wide at its equator. That makes it only slightly larger than Earth’s moon. Because Mercury is so small and so close to the sun, it is the most elusive of the five planets that are visible to the naked eye.
Is mercury like Mars?
At about three thousand miles in diameter, Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. But its core is massive — it accounts for more than three-quarters of the little planet’s diameter, and more than half its mass. So even though Mars is bigger than Mercury, it’s less dense — a rocky planet with a difference.
Why is Mercury the coolest planet?
Mercury rotates very slowly, so its night side spends a consecutively long time in the dark, shielded from the Sun; during those times, it gets down to just 100 Kelvin (−173 °C / −280 °F). That low temperature is incredibly cold, and far colder than any known naturally occurring temperatures here on Earth.
Could a human survive on Mars?
However, the surface is not hospitable to humans or most known life forms due to the radiation, greatly reduced air pressure, and an atmosphere with only 0.16% oxygen. Human survival on Mars would require living in artificial Mars habitats with complex life-support systems.
What are some interesting facts about the planet Mercury?
10 Interesting Facts About Mercury. 1 Longer Day Than Year. It takes Mercury 176 Earth days to complete a rotation around its axis and 88 days to complete a revolution around the Sun, 2 Mercury’s Unique Orbit. 3 Difficult to Spot in the Sky. 4 Mercury Has No Rings or Moons. 5 Second Hottest Planet.
Are there any bits of Mars on Earth?
There are bits of Mars here on Earth! In the past, asteroids hit the Red Planet, sending debris into space. Some of this debris landed on our planet as meteorites. 6) You could jump around three times higher on Mars than you can on Earth. Boing! This is because the planet’s gravity – the force that keeps us on the ground – is much weaker.
Why is Mercury the smallest planet in the Solar System?
Mercury is nearly tidally locked to the Sun and over time this has slowed the rotation of the planet to almost match its orbit around the Sun. Mercury also has the highest orbital eccentricity of all the planets with its distance from the Sun ranging from 46 to 70 million km. Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System.
Why is Mercury the hottest planet in the Solar System?
Detailed Mercury Facts. The surface of Mercury which faces the Sun sees temperatures of up to 427°C, whilst on the alternate side this can be as low as -173°C. This is due to the planet having no atmosphere to help regulate the temperature. Mercury is the most cratered planet in the Solar System.
