Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. The distance between the Sun and Mercury is 57,900,000 Kilometers (36,000,000 miles). which is 0.387 Astronomical Units. It revolves around the Sun in 88 days. It is the fastest moving of all planets as it is the closest to the Sun and so was named after the speedy messenger of the Gods. Its period of rotation is exactly two thirds of its revolution (59 days) and thus days and nights are very long. Because of its slow rotation, it has an extremely weak magnetic field. (1% of earth). Also because of the long days the temperature difference between day and night is large. On the side facing the Sun, the day time temperatures are 700 K (427 C)((800 F) while the dark side at night has a temperature of 100 K (-173 C) (-280 F). Its diameter is 38% of the Earth's that is 4878 Km or 3031 miles, its mass is 3.3 x 1023 kilograms, and its density is 5.4 grams per cubic centimeter. It has no satellites.
Mariner 10 Spacecraft provided ultraviolet spectral data that at that time Mercury had an extremely thin, temporarily held hydrogen and helium atmosphere, probably captured from the Solar Wind. Earth based equipment has detected an extremely thin atmosphere of Sodium and Potassium.
For Statistics about Mercury and mosaic photos from Mariner 10 spacecraft Click Below
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