Fun Facts About Mercury For Kids
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Mercury, named after the Roman messenger of the gods, is the smallest planet in our solar system and is located closest to the sun. Here are some fun facts about Mercury that kids will enjoy:
- A day on Mercury lasts longer than a year. It takes Mercury 88 Earth days to orbit the sun, but it only takes 59 Earth days for the planet to complete one rotation on its axis, which means that a day on Mercury lasts 176 Earth days.
- Mercury has a very thin atmosphere. Unlike Earth, which has a thick atmosphere that protects us from the sun’s radiation, Mercury’s atmosphere is so thin that it is practically non-existent. This means that the planet experiences extreme temperature changes between its day side and night side.
- Mercury has the most craters of any planet in the solar system. Because it is so close to the sun, Mercury has been bombarded by asteroids and other space debris for billions of years, leaving its surface covered in craters and other scars.
- The first spacecraft to visit Mercury was called Mariner 10. Launched in 1973, Mariner 10 flew by Mercury three times and took the first close-up photos of the planet’s surface.
- Mercury is named after a Roman god. In Roman mythology, Mercury was the messenger of the gods and was known for his speed and agility. The planet Mercury was given this name because it moves so quickly around the sun.
- Mercury is not the hottest planet in the solar system. Even though it is the closest planet to the sun, Mercury is not actually the hottest. That title belongs to Venus, which has a thick atmosphere that traps heat and makes its surface temperature hotter than Mercury’s.
- Mercury has ice at its poles. Even though Mercury is hot enough to melt lead, there are areas at the planet’s poles where there are permanently shadowed regions that never receive direct sunlight. Scientists believe that these areas may contain pockets of water ice or other frozen materials.
In conclusion, Mercury may be a small planet, but it is full of interesting and exciting fun facts that make it a fascinating topic for kids to study and learn about.