The solar system: the planets: planet Mercury

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Astronomy Magazine
< back to Planets planet Mercury

The Planets: Planet Mercury

Mercury is the first of nine planets in our solar system and is the closest planet 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 it can a little 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.

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