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Mercury. The Smallest Of The Planets. Characteristics of Mercury. Diameter : 3,032 miles Mass : 3.30 x 10 23 kg Density : 5.427 g /cm 3 Surface G ravity : 3.7 m/sec 2 Axial Tilt : 1/30 of a degree Least in the Solar System. Mercury Orbit. Average Orbit Speed
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Mercury The Smallest Of The Planets
Characteristics of Mercury • Diameter : 3,032 miles • Mass : 3.30 x 1023 kg • Density : 5.427g /cm3 • Surface Gravity : 3.7 m/sec2 • Axial Tilt : 1/30 of a degree • Least in the Solar System
Mercury Orbit • Average Orbit Speed • 107,082 miles/hour • Average Distance To The Sun • 35,980,000 miles • Period Of Rotation • 58.65 days • Period Of Revolution • 88 days • One day on Mercury • Sun rises halfway, Reverses, Rises again
Surface & Atmosphere of Mercury • Terrain : Heavily cratered • Similar to Earth’s Moon • Temperature Range : -280 ˚F to 800 ˚F • Atmosphere : No atmosphere (weak gravity) • Geology • Most iron-rich planet in the Solar System • Caloris Basin • Meteor impact (810 miles in diameter) • Surrounded by 2-km tall mountains
Mercury Discoveries • 1st discovered by 14th century Assyrian astronomers • Mariner 10 : (1974-1975) • 1st close-up images of the surface • Messenger : (2008) • Complete mapping of Mercury • BepiColombo : (2015) • Studying the magnetosphere • Joint mission between the European Space Agency and Japan
Mercury Facts • No natural satellites (moons) • No rings • Covered in scarps (wrinkles) • Caused by iron core cooling and contracting • Named after Roman messenger to the Gods • Most heavily cratered planet in the Solar System
Mercury Video • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KY-oB2i9lo
Literature Cited • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(mytholog • http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/mercury.html • http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Mercury.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(moon) • http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/c/mercury_(moon).htm