Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and it’s a really interesting place! Even though it’s the smallest planet in our solar system, it has some cool features that make it special. Let’s learn more about Mercury and what makes it unique!
Mercury is super speedy! It zooms around the Sun faster than any other planet. It takes only 88 Earth days for Mercury to go all the way around the Sun. That’s why it’s the first planet in our solar system.
Even though Mercury is small, it’s still important. It’s just a bit bigger than Earth’s Moon. You could fit 18 Mercurys inside Earth! While Mercury isn’t the hottest planet (that’s Venus), it can get really hot. During the day, temperatures can reach up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius)!
One day on Mercury, which is how long it takes to spin around once, lasts 59 Earth days. That’s a long day! Mercury’s surface is rocky and full of craters, which makes it look a lot like our Moon. These craters are from being hit by space rocks over a long time.
Mercury has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. It’s made of things like oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium. Unlike some other planets, Mercury doesn’t have any moons or rings. But it’s really dense, meaning it’s packed with a lot of material inside.
Mercury is a fascinating planet with its fast orbit, extreme temperatures, rocky surface, and lack of moons. As the first planet from the Sun, it continues to be an exciting subject for astronomers and space lovers to study. There’s always more to learn about this speedy little planet!
Model Mercury: Create a model of Mercury using clay or playdough. Try to include features like craters to show its rocky surface. Once your model is ready, compare it to a model of the Moon. Discuss with a friend or family member how Mercury and the Moon are similar and different. What do you notice about their surfaces?
Orbit Race: Mercury is the fastest planet, taking only 88 Earth days to orbit the Sun. Create a simple game where you and your friends represent different planets. Use a stopwatch to time how long it takes for each “planet” to orbit a “Sun” (a chair or a tree). How many times can you orbit in 88 seconds? Compare your speed to Mercury’s!
Temperature Experiment: Mercury experiences extreme temperatures. Conduct a simple experiment to understand temperature changes. Place a thermometer in a sunny spot and another in a shaded area. Record the temperatures at different times of the day. Discuss how the Sun affects temperature and relate it to Mercury’s hot daytime temperatures.
