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Planet mercury: Top unknown planet mercury facts

The following are some of the least known facts about the planet Mercury
planet of mercury
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington (CC BY 2.0)

Fact-1

Mercury has 2 sunrise and 2 sunset:

One of the special feature about mercury is that it can have 2 sunrise and 2 sunset in a Mercurian day. Sun rises, then stops and moves back towards the horizon, then sun again rises. There are many videos in YouTube which shows this beautiful phenomenon. 

The reason behind this phenomenon is the long days of mercury and its orbit around the sun. Mercury has the most eccentric orbit of all the planets hence its orbital speed varies as the distance from the sun changes. Also, it only takes 3 Mercurian days for completing 2 revolutions around the sun. 

Because of all these reasons sun would appear to move backwards which results in the double sunrise and sunset.

Fact-2

Most extreme temperature fluctuation in the solar system

Mercury is the planet with highest temperature fluctuations in our solar system. during the day the temperatures go as high as 430 degree Celsius, while during the night time it goes to -180 degree Celsius. 

The reason for this huge temperature fluctuations is its rotations and the lack of atmosphere. But even after having the largest temperature fluctuations it is only the second hottest planet in the world.

Fact-3

Mercury is shrinking

When researchers checked the images from the MESSENGER spacecraft they found something which they didn't expect. They found some many small valleys and many fault scraps (regions where the faults have vertically moved upwards). This was a proof that mercury shrank. 

planet of mercury
Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/Carnegie Institution of Washington/Smithsonian Institution

Later they found out that there where many smaller fault scraps which means mercury is still shrinking. This shrinking is a result of mercury's core cooling. As the core cools ,the volume of the core reduces which is the reason for the formation of fault scraps.

Fact-4

Second densest planet and the Smallest planet in the solar system

After earth mercury is the second most densest planet in the solar system. The reason for high density is thought to be its heavy iron core.

Mercury is a very small planet, with a radius of only 2,439.7 km. There are even two moons which are larger than mercury, namely Ganymede (Jupiter's moon) and Titan (Saturn's moon).

Fact-5

Closest planet to every other planet

Mercury is the planet which stays closest to all other planets over a period of time.

We will try to understand this by taking an example of earth. The planet which comes to our mind when we hear the closest planet to Earth is Venus. This is true, but Venus stays as the closest planet to earth only for a short period of time. For the rest of the time it is very far away. But when it comes to mercury it stays close to Earth for a longer period of time compared to Venus, this is because of two things:-
  • It goes around sun very fast
Mercury's orbital period (Time required for a planet to go around the sun) is the shortest. Therefore, it goes around the sun many times before other planets complete one revolution. Therefore, Mercury stays close to other planets for a longer period of time

  • It doesn't go very far from the sun
In our example we Venus is the planet which comes closest to earth but its for a short period of time. For rest of the time it is very far away from the sun. But when it comes to mercury, it stays close to sun which means it is also close to other planets for a longer period of time.

Fact-6

Mercury is the most cratered planet in the solar system

Mercury is the planet with most numbers of craters. Now you might be thinking why mercury?

The answer is simple when, it comes to other planets like Venus, Mars and Earth these craters are worn away by wind, volcano, etc. For outer planets it is just not visible because of the gas which surrounds them.

Fact-7

Crater which looks like mickey mouse

There is a crater on mercury which looks like mickey mouse. The shadows and multiple craters gave it the resemblance of mickey mouse. The image of the crater is added below:-

planet of mercury
Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

 

Fact-8

Mercury has 'Tails'

Usually trails are seen for comets but did you know mercury has a tail?

It was predicted in the 80's that mercury has a tail, later it was found that mercury does have a tail which is made up of sodium. Mercury actually has a very thin atmosphere which contains sodium. These atoms get thrown out when the sunlight hits them. This is what looks like a tail. Even though it was predicted in the 80's it was only discovered in the 2001.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/Matthew Burger

There are other images which is in the visible spectrum, you guys can check them by searching "mercury tail".

Astrophysics quiz to see how good you are in it:- click here. Also check our biology quiz, I am sure you will learn something new from this.

Conclusion:

The following are the facts:-
  1. Mercury has 2 sunrise and 2 sunset
  2. Most extreme temperature fluctuation in the solar system
  3. Mercury is shrinking
  4. Second densest planet and the Smallest planet in the solar system
  5. Closest planet to every other planet
  6. Mercury is the most cratered planet in the solar system
  7. Crater which looks like mickey mouse
  8. Mercury has 'Tails'
Hope you got to know something new, do support me by following me here and also leave your valuable comments in the comment section.

In this post we saw planet mercury facts. The first planet mercury pictures the planet mercury colour is different so don't mind that, it is just a false colour image.
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