See the planet Mercury up close and some interesting facts!
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Planet Mercury.
π General Characteristics
Closest planet to the Sun β It is about 58 million km from the Sun.
Second smallest planet β Second only to Pluto in size (if we still consider it a planet).
Almost no atmosphere β It has a very tenuous exosphere, composed primarily of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium.
π° οΈ Time and Movement
Longer day than year β A day on Mercury (complete rotation) lasts about 176 Earth days, while a year (translation) takes 88 Earth days.
Slow but stable rotation β It rotates slowly and has a rotational movement synchronized with the Sun: for every two orbits it makes around the Sun, it rotates three times around its own axis (3:2 resonance).
π‘ οΈ Extreme Temperature
Drastic temperature differences β Ranges from about 430Β°C during the day to -180Β°C at night, due to the lack of an atmosphere to trap heat.
Not the hottest β Despite its proximity to the Sun, Venus is hotter due to its dense COβ atmosphere, which causes a greenhouse effect.
π Geology and Surface
Crater-filled surface β Similar to the Moon, the result of billions of years of meteor impacts.
Has giant cliffs (rupes) β These are geological faults caused by the contraction of the planet as it cooled.
Has polar ice caps β Scientists have detected water ice in permanently shadowed craters at the poles.
𧲠Magnetic Field
Has a magnetic field β Surprisingly strong for such a small planet, about 1% of Earth's.
Has a liquid metallic core β This helps explain its active magnetic field.
π° οΈ Exploration
First visit in 1974 β By the Mariner 10 probe, which made three flybys.
MESSENGER Probe (2004β2015) β Entered orbit in 2011, mapped almost the entire surface, and discovered several unprecedented details.
BepiColombo Mission (Europe and Japan) β Launched in 2018, it will reach Mercury in 2025.
β¨ Fun Facts
No moons β Mercury (and Venus) are the only planets in the Solar System without natural satellites.
Visible to the naked eye β It is one of the five planets visible without a telescope from Earth.
Mythology β The name comes from the Roman god Mercury, messenger of the gods, due to its rapid movement across the sky.
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