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Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and the nearest to the Sun. Mercury is only slightly larger than Earth's Moon. Its surface is covered in tens of thousands of impact craters.
Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the Solar System, which means it is a rocky body like Earth. It is the smallest planet in the Solar System, with an equatorial radius of 2,439.7 kilometres (1,516.0 mi). Mercury is also smaller—albeit more massive—than the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, Ganymede and Titan.
Mercury is a chemical element; it has symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum (/ h aɪ ˈ d r ɑːr dʒ ər ə m / hy-DRAR-jər-əm) from the Greek words hydor (water) and argyros (silver), from which its chemical symbol is derived.
5 days ago · Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system and the eighth in size and mass. Its closeness to the Sun and its smallness make it the most elusive of the planets visible to the unaided eye.
1 day ago · Using data from NASA 's MESSENGER spacecraft, scientists have determined that a 10-mile-thick diamond mantle may lie beneath the crust of Mercury, the closest planet to the sun. Mercury has long ...
Mercury is the second densest planet, after Earth. It has a large metallic core with a radius of about 1,289 miles (2,074 kilometers), about 85 percent of the planet's radius. There is evidence that it is partly molten or liquid.
Jul 9, 2024 · Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. Mercury is a terrestrial planet. It is small and rocky. Mercury has a thin exosphere. Mercury’s surface can be as hot as 800 degrees F during the daytime and as cold as -300 degrees F during the nighttime.
Jul 12, 2024 · Mercury, chemical element, liquid metal of Group 12 of the periodic table. Mercury is the only elemental metal that is liquid at room temperature. Mercury is silvery white and slowly tarnishes in moist air. It alloys with copper, tin, and zinc to form amalgams, or liquid alloys.
Jun 9, 2023 · Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system — it is only slightly larger than Earth's moon. Since it has no significant atmosphere to stop impacts, the planet is pockmarked with craters.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, which likely influenced its composition and formation. The planet has a surprisingly large iron core, which may have formed because the early Sun heated and vaporized rock on Mercury's surface.
