"While a typical vibrato will fluctuate between 5.4 Hz … Mercury: the Smallest Planet! Research shows that a 100 km wide asteroid hit mercury 4 billion years ago that created a 1545 km giant crater on it. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. Tragically, Freddie passed away aged just 45 with the cause of death being bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. Cinnabar or vermillion was used by Paleolithic painters to decorate caves in Spain and France 30,000 years ago, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Additionally, Mercury has the greatest orbital eccentricity, ranging from 29 million mi to 43 million mi. Most are small craters, while a few are more than 50 mi wide. Mercury is the smallest planet of the Solar System. Ironically, the planet's existence was documented by ancient astronomers before the discovery of Venus and Mars. Interesting facts about Mercury Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and due to its proximity it is not easily seen except during twilight. Organic materials, which are the building blocks of life, have also been discovered, but the harsh conditions on Mercury cannot support life as it exists on Earth. Mercury completes one complete revolution around our Sun in 88 days (days as on Earth and are referred to as Earth days). Planet Mercury, the innermost planet in the solar system and the eighth. 1. More Interesting Facts about Mercury. 50 interesting facts about Mercury. Earlier, Pluto held the record for being the smallest planet in the Solar System. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest since Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet. 10 Interesting Facts About The Great Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury was a British singer, songwriter and record producer, most famously known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen . These are caused by numerous encounters with asteroids and comets. A year on Mercury takes 88 Earth days. Mercury is the second hottest planet in the solar system, reaching up to 800 degrees. The orbital speed of Mercury is 47.8 km/sec (29.7 miles/sec). Its orbit is immensely elliptical, as its distance from the Sun varies between 29 million mi and 43 million mi. In the time it takes Pluto to go around the Sun once, 1028 years have passed on Mercury! Mercury plays peekaboo with the Sun, as the planet rises and sets close to when the Sun does, which can make it challenging to see it in the sky. Alan Shepard should have been the first man in space. A day on the surface of Mercury lasts 176 Earth days. Mercury has a fragile atmosphere known as an exosphere. A year in Mercury is 88 days, yet a Mercury day is 176 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury is elliptical in shape. It was used in the form of pills, calomel, ointments and steam baths. When Mercury orbits the Sun, it does it in more of an ellipse (oval) shape, rather than a sphere. Mercury is so close to the sun, it is hard to directly observe it from Earth except during dawn or twilight. Current astronomers believe that the darker skies of the past made it possible for ancient astronomers to see Mercury. Research shows that the concentration of magnesium, sodium, and calcium in Mercury’s atmosphere fluctuates depending on its distance from the Sun. Mercury is even smaller than some moons in the solar system. The concentration of sulfur on Mercury is unlike any other planet in the Solar System. Mercury Crater Facts: Interesting Facts About the Planets Craters Unlike many other planets that “self-heal” through natural geological processes, the surface of Mercury is covered in craters. Here’s some cool and fun facts about the planet Mercury. Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at standard temperature and pressure. In 2018, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the joint BepiColombomission that is expected to reach the orbit of Mercury in December 2025. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. This means it is very compact. Mercury zips around the sun faster than any other planet. 35 Impressive Facts About the Planet Mercury Mercury is the smallest of all the planets in the solar system. mission that is expected to reach the orbit of Mercury in December 2025. Mercury is the closest planet to our Sun and is the smallest planet in our solar system. Mercury is nearly tidally locked to the Sun – also known as a gravitational lock – and over time this has slowed the rotation of the planet to almost match its orbit around the Sun. By Victor Kiprop on November 24 2019 in Environment. Freddie Mercury Facts. It is found in craters near its poles, where sunlight never reaches. Even some gas giant moons are larger than it, such as Titan and Ganymede. Amazing facts about Mercury. Five amazing facts about Project Mercury. Mercury travels around the sun at a speed of 180,000 kilometers per hour or 112,000 miles per hour. It is also one of five planets visible by the naked eye, along with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Thirteen times a century Mercury can be observed from the Earth passing across the face of the Sun in an event called a transit, the next will occur on the 9th May 2016. Mercury’s diameter is only 4,876 kilometers, i.e., just about the size of the United States. Recent studies show that Mercury indeed has a molten core, which is contrary to the solid iron core theory proposed throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries. This makes Mercury the fastest planet in entire Solar System. Despite Mercury being the closest planet to the Sun, Venus is the warmest planet. Nevertheless, researchers do not expect life to exist on the planet due to its unconducive environment. 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