Mercury
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is very difficult to observe from earth based telescopes due to the fact that it sets and rises within 2 hours of the sun. It is a dead and cratered world that closely resembles our own moon.
| Planetary Data of Mercury | |
| Rotation Period (Equatorial) | 58.65 days |
| Average distance from sun | 57 900 000 km |
| Sidereal Orbit Period | 87.969 days |
| Sidereal Rotation Period | 1407.6 hours |
| Average Orbital Velocity | 47.87 km/sec |
| Radius of Planet | 2 439 km |
| Mass of Planet | 3.32 x 10²³ kg |
| Density of Planet | 5427 kg/m³ |
| Temperature (Daytime) | 317ºC - 452ºC |
| Temperature (Night) | - 170ºC |
| Atmosphere | 42% Oxygen,
29% Sodium,
22% Hydrogen, 6% Helium |
| Satellites | None |
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This photo of Mercury's surface was taken by Mariner 10.