Little Mercury, the smallest of the eight planets and it is found closest to the Sun. Earth looks very big compared to Mercury. Though small, about every 7 years Mercury will transit in front of the Sun and can be seen through a special telescope lens (to protect your eyes). The last transit was seen from Europe in 2016. Ancient humans have known about Mercury since 3000 BC. The Sumerians were talking about Mercury way, way, back then. Despite being the smallest planet, it is very dense. Small and mighty! Orbiting closest to the Sun, Mercury sports some extreme temperatures, but comes in second hottest of all the planets. Venus takes the number one spot for being the hottest planet in the Solar System. The temperature during the day on Mercury reaches an average 800 degrees Fahrenheit and at night the temperature plunges to -280 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrrr! One of Mercury's most dominant characteristics is its craters. Mercury has been bombarded by asteroids and comets for eons! Because Mercury is not a volcanic planet with a soft shell around it, the asteroids and comets have left their mark. Probes have discovered areas on Mercury where cracks are forming. Thinking this might be due to the crust shifting the theory today is that Mercury's core is shrinking. If the core continues to shrink what will happen to Mercury? We will have to wait and see.... Look a little closer at Mercury: Small and mighty.
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |