Mercury is

the first
planet out
from the
sun. It is
57,910,000
km from
the sun,
about 1/3 of
the way
between the
Sun and
Earth

EARTH

MERCUR
Y

MOO
N

Mercurys diameter is 4,880 km. Thats

40% smaller than Earth and 40% larger
than the moon

Mercurys density is
similar to that of Earths at
5.42 gm/cm^3

Rocky
mantle

Mercurys
core is
75% of its
mass, and
consists of
iron and
molten
lava

Scientists think
Scientists think Mercurys dipolar magnetic field is
produced by its partially molten core.

Mercurys atmosphere is so thin it is almost

negligible. It consists mostly of helium and
argon. Because the atmosphere is so thin,
Mercury cannot trap or keep out heat. The
temperature varies between 427C in the
sun and -173C in the dark.

Mercury rotates
1.5 times for
every revolution.
So it has 1.5 days
in its year! Its
rotational period
is 58.65 Earth
days and its orbital
period is 87.969 Earth
days,
Mercury has an
elliptical orbit, so
its path around
the sun is not a

Sun

Mercury was named

after the fleet footed
messenger of the
gods, because it
appeared to move
faster around the sun
than any other
planet. We now know
that this was because
of its small orbit.