Transcript moon

Bell Work: Observe every part of this photograph. What do you see? Be
descriptive.
How could it be possible to freeze on one side of a planet and burn to death on
the other? Which planet fits that description?
How do we know certain facts about planets when we have never visited that
planet?
Mercury
• Closest to the sun
• No moons
• Extremely hot
temperatures on
one side and
extremely cold
temperatures on
the other.
• Now the smallest
planet in our solar
system
3 Mercurys = 1 Earth
Mercury
• Physically, Mercury is similar in
appearance to our moon as it is heavily
cratered.
• Mercury has a rocky body like the Earth,
but its atmosphere is very thin or weak.
• Mercury has been visited by only one
spacecraft, Mariner 10.
First fly-by was on March 29, 1974.
Many photos were taken and
Mariner 10’s infrared radiometer
was able to take measurements of
the gases in Mercury’s atmosphere.
Mercury’s Orbit:
The first orbital path
from the sun.
Mercury
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Distance from sun
Period of rotation
Period of revolution
Diameter
Surface temperature
Surface gravity
3.2 light-minutes
58 days, 16 hours
88 days
4,879 km
-173 to 427°C
38% of Earth’s