MERCURY

Mercury Basics

• Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

• It is the smallest planet in our solar system.

• A year on Mercury (one trip around the Sun) takes only 88 Earth days!

🌡️ Super Hot and Super Cold

• Mercury can get very hot during the day—up to 800°F (430°C)!

• At night, it becomes freezing cold—down to -290°F (-180°C).

• This happens because Mercury has almost no atmosphere to trap heat.

🪨 Rocky World

• Mercury is a rocky planet, like Earth.

• Its surface is covered in craters, like the Moon.

• These craters were made by space rocks hitting the planet.

🌅 Weird Days

• One day on Mercury (sunrise to sunrise) lasts 176 Earth days!

• That means a day is longer than a year on Mercury!