Prior to messenger, mercury had been visited by only one other spacecraft, mariner 10, and we knew little more than mercurys average density the second greatest of all the planets, the composition of its atmosphere thinnest of the terrestrial planets, the fact that it possesses a global magnetic field, and its extreme variations in. The planets small size means that its gravity is too weak. Mercury and mars have some of the right ingredients, but their atmospheres are far too thin to support life. However, times each century, observers on earth can watch mercury pass across the face of the sun, an event called a transit. It was discovered in december, 1781 by william herschel, a germanborn british astronomer. The exospheric species originate either from the solar wind or from the planetary crust. Its only the second hottest planet, though, as unlike the hottest plant venus with its thick atmosphere, mercury s thin atmosphere is less able to trap in the heat. Thin atmosphere of mercury, formation and composition.
The sheer vastness of it, along with the trillions upon trillions of objects in the many billion galaxies of the universe is almost incomprehensible to the human brain. Mercurys thin atmosphere contains hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. Its gaseous envelope is composed of more than 96 percent carbon dioxide and 3. This page is a continuously updated list of the most incredible, aweinspiring and unbelievable facts about space. The cometlike tail that is seen on the end of the planet is created by atmospheric gasses that are pushed by solar light. Uranus was the husband of gaia, the goddess of the earth. Mercury, interior, atmosphere, moons, poles, myths. The lack of atmosphere also contributes to the planets wild temperature extremes. The atmosphere of venus is too thickthe planets surface temperature is more than 460 degrees celsius 860 degrees fahrenheit. Mercury does have a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. As the planet nearest the sun, the surface of mercury can reach a scorching 840 degrees f 450 degrees c. The elements contained in mercurys exosphere are helium, hydrogen, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium and water vapor.
It does feel the presence of solar weather, with the constant ebb and flow of the solar wind bombarding its surface. Mercury is our smallest planet, and the one closest to the sun. Others are made by radioactive decay or when micrometeorites smash into the surface. The atmosphere of mercury is a tenuous exosphere that contains varying elements. It was certainly interesting freddie mercury is a huge icon and his legacy remains today, and hearing stories from a person so close to him was interesting enough for me to finish the book.
Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet. Mercury is a highly toxic element that is found both naturally and as an introduced contaminant in the environment. Mercurys density implies a solid ironrich core that accounts for about 60% of its volume 75% of its radius. Not the kind of atmosphere that we have here on earth, or even the thin atmosphere that surrounds mars. Because mercury is so small, its gravity is weaker than other planets. Unlike mariner 10, the messenger spacecraft had instruments that could measure ions. Austin was born in 1951 into an impoverished family in south. Atmosphere of mercury mercury has very little atmosphere. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. This was because of mercury s lower gravity, and because its so. With its extremely thin atmosphere, mercury has a large temperature range. Heres a great worksheet for teaching your kids all about the planet mercury. With its thick, corrosive atmosphere, the surface temperature is extremely high.
Mercury facts interesting facts about planet mercury. Mercury has a very tenuous and highly variable atmosphere surfacebound exosphere containing hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium and water vapor, with a combined pressure level of about 10. These rare transits fall within several days of 8 may and 10. The surface of mercury, at first glance, looks very much like that of the moon, but in fact it is different in several ways. The atmosphere venus has the most massive atmosphere of the terrestrial planets, which include mercury, earth, and mars. Mercury may have small ice caps at its north and south poles. Inner planets earth science simple book production. The messenger spacecraft revealed that mercury has some unique landforms, more smooth plains, and surface compositions low in. The metal is concentrated in a comparatively huge core, which accounts for nearly 75 percent of mercurys. Hot and barren with hardly any atmosphere, its rocky surface is covered in craters. Facts about mercury a year on mercury is just 88 days long. All about mercury nasa space place nasa science for kids.
Introduction because mercury is so close to the sun, it is hard to directly observe from earth except during dawn or twilight, when the suns brightness doesnt outshine little mercury. Solar light pushes the atmospheric gases away from the sun, creating a cometlike tail behind the planet. Mercurys magnetic equator is shifted nearly 20% of the planets radius towards the north, the largest ratio of all planets. Although its potential for toxicity in highly contaminated areas such as minamata bay, japan, in the 1950s and 1960s, is well documented, research has shown that mercury can be a threat to the health of people and wildlife in many environments that are not. Instead of an atmosphere, mercury possesses a thin exosphere made up of atoms blasted off the surface by the solar wind and striking meteoroids. Mercury travels around the sun more quickly than any of the other planets in the solar system.
Measurements made during the mariner 10 flybys of mercury have shown that this planet has a tenuous. Lack of an atmosphere also means mercurys surface is pockmarked by numerous impact craters, since incoming meteors dont encounter any. Mercurys magnetic field is offset relative to the planets equator. Mercury is the densest planet in the solar system, followed by earth if one takes into account the planets internal compression because of gravity. From the surface of mercury, the sun would appear more than three times as large as it does when viewed. In comparison, earths core makes up a lesser part of its mass. With virtually no atmosphere, mercury feels very little in terms of traditional weather. The solar wind blasts the closest planet to the sun, leaving it with the thinnest atmosphere of all the planets. Venus is the second planet from the sun and the closest planet to earth, in distance and in size.
Kids boost their mercury knowledge, then do some fun activities to see if they can remember what theyve learned. Scientists are still exploring and learning about mercurys atmosphere, but they have discovered a few things. However, since this world doesnt have a real atmosphere to entrap any heat, at night temperatures can plummet to minus 275 degrees f minus 170 degrees c, a more than 1,100 degrees f 600 degree c. For more information on mercury, check out our article. In fact, mercurys atmosphere is so thin that is barely exists. Mercury fun facts cool kid facts fun facts for kids. Mercury has a very thin atmosphere, which is made up of atoms from the surface of the planet that have been blown away by solar winds. Mercury has a very tenuous and highly variable atmosphere surfacebound exosphere. Unlike our thick atmosphere, mercury has a very thin atmosphere. Chemicals leak out of the planets surface to replace them, so mercurys atmosphere is continually changing.
Beneath the crust it is a mantle also made of silicate rocks that is hundreds of kilometers thick. However, mercury has a very thin atmosphere, so the heat of the day escapes very quickly at nighttime. Seuss, famous author of childrens books and alvin ailey, a pioneer in dance. It also has smaller amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Mercury is unusually dense because it is composed of a high percentage of metal. Many atoms in mercury s surface rocks and in its tenuous atmosphere become ionized when struck by energetic particles in the solar wind and in mercury s magnetosphere. Helium is the funny gas that makes you sound like donald duck if you suck it from a party balloon. Mercury has a low gravity and receives large gusts of solar winds from the nearby sun. Since it has no significant atmosphere to stop impacts, the planet is pockmarked with craters. Regardless of how hard its been to get to know mercury. Mercurys atmosphere contains small amounts of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It also has even tinier amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Mercury facts for kids interesting facts about planet mercury. Mercurys exosphere is composed mostly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium and potassium. Some of the gas particles come from the solar wind. The closest planet to the sun, mercury is also the smallest planet in the solar system. The core at mercury s center is mostly made up of iron and takes up about 75% of the planets radius.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system and the closest to the sun. Even though the planet is small, mercury is very dense. Mercurys original atmosphere dissipated shortly after the planet formed 4. Did you know that its the smallest planet in our solar system. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. Meet mary austin, the woman who stole freddie mercurys.
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