By Anthony Mulgado and Danny Nunez Mercurys History

By Anthony Mulgado and Danny Nunez

Mercury's History • Mercury is the planet nearest the Sun. • Mercury looks like the moon at first glance and looks crescent. • Mercury is very similar to our moon it has an internal magnetic field and there is evidence that it has shrunk in size since it formed.

Rotation and Revolution • Mercury takes 88 Earth days to orbit the sun. • The rotation of its axis is 59 Earth days.

Distance from the Sun and Earth • Mercury's distance from the sun is 36 million miles (57. 9 million km)

Size and Density • Mercury's core is 75% of Mercury by volume and • • • 80% of it by its mass. Mercury’s density is 5. 427 grams per cubic centimeter. So, an average chunk of Mercury 1 cm square would weigh 5. 427 grams. The suns diameter is 285 times greater than Mercury's. Mercury is also very small it is only 40% larger than our moon.

Temperature – The side towards the sun is at a hot temperature of 350 °C (662 °F), while the night side is a cold -180 °C (-292 °F).

Composition • Mercury composition is made up of approximately 70% metals • 30% of it is silicate material. • In fact, it’s only a little bit less dense than the Earth, with 5. 43 g/cm 3.

Atmosphere • There is a very thin atmosphere around the planet. • Mercury has almost no atmosphere. • Because it is so small its gravity is so weak • Mercury's thin atmosphere contains hydrogen, • helium, and oxygen. It also has smaller amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Moons • Mercury is one of the only planets to not have a moon. • The Earth got its moon when a Mars-sized object • • crashed into our planet, and the debris collected into the Moon. It’s possible that the same thing happened to Mercury early on in its history. But the moon would have either drifted away or crashed back down onto the surface, because it’s not there anymore. Even Pluto the smallest planet has moons but not Mercury. Scientists believe that mercury might not have any satellites because of how close to the sun it is.

Physical characteristics • Mercury is the smallest planet. • Mercury looks very similar to the moon in how • • • we see it and its size we can only see little pieces of mercury and it looks similar to the sun Mercury is also only 40 percent larger than the moon. Mercury with a diameter of 1, 300 km It is the smallest planet and has very little atmosphere because of how close to the sun it is

What it would be like to go there • If you went to mercury you would be burning of how hot it is, or freezing if you were on the night side. • You would feel as if you were on the moon because of how it looks like it. • Also, you it would be hard for you to breath.

what would life on the planet look like? • You would feel like you were on the moon. • If there was like there they would need to wear protective gear so they would not burn or freeze so you would see people with the gear.

Extra history • Two-fifths the size of Earth in diameter; second smallest planet in the solar system. • The planet was named for the Roman god Mercury, a winged messenger, and it travels around the Sun faster than any other planet

Mercury Facts • If you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would • • weigh 38 pounds on Mercury. Covered by a dusty layer of minerals (silicates), the surface is made up of plains, cliffs, and craters. The diameter is 3, 032. 4 miles (4, 880 km)

How do we know what mercury looks like? • Mercury is difficult to see from Earth, even the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, for all his years of research and observation, never once was able to see Mercury. • Scientist do not know what is looks like for sure but on the scientific research and investigations they concluded what it looks like.