Mercury is the innermost of the terrestrial planets, i.e. planets with a solid surface. Because of its close orbit around the Sun, it receives about 6 times as much solar energy as Earth. Mercury is also the smallest of the solid planets, about 1400 km. larger diam. than Earth’s moon. Like our Moon, it is dotted with countless large and small craters from meteor impacts. In particular, a large circular plain, the Caloris Plain diam. 1400 kilometres in diameter, was probably formed by a giant impact. Volcanic eruptions with emerging lava have also left their mark on the surface of Mercury.
Specifications
- Average distance from the Sun: 59.9 km.
- Size: 4878 km.(diameter)
- Orbital period around the Sun: 87.9 days
- Length of day: 58.6 Earth days
- Mass: (kg) 3.3022 x 1023
- Surface temperature: between -180 degrees centigrade and +480 degrees centigrade
- Number of moons: none
- Model:51 m from the Sun
- Model: 4.8 mm (diameter)