Name: Five Facts About Mercury, the Planet Closest to Our Sun
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Nova

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. But what else makes Venus's next door neighbor unique?

What makes Venus's next door neighbor unique?

Five Facts About the Planet Closest to Our Sun

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The planet closest to the Sun may be small in stature, but it’s full of surprises.

Mercury is more than just the smallest planet in our solar system.

Mercury is more than just the smallest planet in our solar system.

Five Facts About Mercury, the Planet Closest to Our Sun

Space & Flight

Five Facts About the Planet Closest to Our SunPublished: July 24, 2019Onscreen: Five facts about Mercury:1. It’s the smallest planet in our solar system.Diameter: 3,032 milesMass: ~ 1/20 mass of EarthDistance from the Sun: ~36 million miles2. Temperatures on Mercury can reach 801ºF during the day, and plummet to -279ºF at night.Life (as we know it) is unlikely to survive here.3. Mercury is the most cratered planet in the solar system because its atmosphere is too thin to stop meteorite impacts.4. From some parts of the planet’s surface, the Sun rises, sets, and rises as the day begins. And it sets, rises, and sets as the day ends...all because of Mercury’s elliptical orbit and slow rotation.5. Mercury doesn’t experience seasons like most planets. Its axis of rotation is tilted by only 2º, so it spins almost perfectly upright.To learn more about Mercury, tune in or stream "The Planets: Inner Worlds"

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Five Facts About the Planet Closest to Our Sun

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Support Provided By

Explore More

The Planets: Inner Worlds

The Evidence for Planet Nine’s Existence

Alien Planets Revealed