The solar system: the planets: planet Mercury

The Planets: Planet Mercury

Mercury is the first of nine planets in our solar system and is the closest to the sun. Planet Mercury moves from the morning sky to the evening sky several times a year. It never deviates far from the Sun so can be hard to locate.

Mercury Facts Mass (kg) 3.303e+23 Radius (km) 2,439.7 Density (gm/cm3) 5.42 Distance from Sun (km) 57,910,000 Period of rotation (days) 58.6462 Period of orbit (days) 87.969 Orbital velocity (km/sec) 47.88 Eccentricity of orbit 0.2056 Tilt of axis (°) 0.00 Inclination of orbit (°) 7.004 surface gravity (m/sec2) 2.78 escape velocity (km/sec) 4.25 Visual albedo 0.10 Visual magnitude -1.9 surface temperature 179°C Maximum surface temperature 427°C Minimum surface temperature -173°C Atmosphere Helium=42% Sodium=42% Oxygen=15% Moons 0

Mercury can be viewed with the naked-eye, binoculars and all telescopes. Get Starry Night Pro Plus 6.3!