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Questions and Answers
Approximately how long ago did Mercury form?
Approximately how long ago did Mercury form?
- 10 billion years ago
- 2 billion years ago
- 4.5 billion years ago (correct)
- 1 million years ago
What is Mercury primarily composed of?
What is Mercury primarily composed of?
- A central core, rocky mantle, and solid crust (correct)
- Ice and frozen gases
- A gaseous atmosphere
- Liquid water oceans
After which Roman god is Mercury named?
After which Roman god is Mercury named?
- God of War
- God of Fire
- God of Travel (correct)
- God of the Sea
Which planet is hotter than Mercury?
Which planet is hotter than Mercury?
What feature is commonly found on Mercury's surface?
What feature is commonly found on Mercury's surface?
What causes the craters on Mercury's surface?
What causes the craters on Mercury's surface?
What color would Mercury's surface mostly appear to the human eye?
What color would Mercury's surface mostly appear to the human eye?
What are the bright streaks sometimes found on Mercury's surface called?
What are the bright streaks sometimes found on Mercury's surface called?
Approximately how hot can the surface temperature of Mercury reach during the day?
Approximately how hot can the surface temperature of Mercury reach during the day?
What is the approximate nighttime surface temperature on Mercury?
What is the approximate nighttime surface temperature on Mercury?
Where might water ice be found on Mercury?
Where might water ice be found on Mercury?
What makes Mercury the fastest planet?
What makes Mercury the fastest planet?
Approximately how long is a year on Mercury?
Approximately how long is a year on Mercury?
Approximately how long does it take Mercury to make one full rotation?
Approximately how long does it take Mercury to make one full rotation?
What was the name of the first NASA mission to fly by Mercury?
What was the name of the first NASA mission to fly by Mercury?
Which NASA mission was the first to orbit Mercury?
Which NASA mission was the first to orbit Mercury?
What did the MESSENGER mission discover on Mercury?
What did the MESSENGER mission discover on Mercury?
What does ESA stand for?
What does ESA stand for?
What is the scheduled year for BepiColombo to begin orbiting Mercury?
What is the scheduled year for BepiColombo to begin orbiting Mercury?
What will JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MIO) study?
What will JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MIO) study?
Flashcards
Mercury
Mercury
Smallest planet, closest to the sun, rocky mantle, solid crust, and a central core.
Crater Rays
Crater Rays
Asteroid or comet strikes result in bright streaks on Mercury's surface.
Mercury's Temperature Range
Mercury's Temperature Range
Extreme temperatures because its proximity to the Sun and lack of atmosphere, during the day surface temperatures can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius). At night temperatures can drop to minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 180 degrees Celsius).
Mercury's Speed
Mercury's Speed
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Mercury's Year
Mercury's Year
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Mercury's Day
Mercury's Day
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Mariner 10
Mariner 10
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MESSENGER
MESSENGER
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BepiColombo
BepiColombo
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Study Notes
- Mercury formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
- Gravity pulled swirling gas and dust together to create it.
- Mercury is closest planet to the Sun.
- Mercury has a central core, a rocky mantle, and a solid crust.
- Mercury is named after the Roman God of travel.
- Mercury known as Hermes named after the messenger of the Greek Gods.
- Hermes is shown wearing winged shoes.
- Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system.
- Mercury is a little bigger than Earth’s Moon.
- Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
- Venus is hotter than Mercury.
- Mercury's surface is solid with many craters
- Craters formed from collisions with meteoroids, comets, and asteroids.
- Mercury's surface appears greyish-brown.
- Bright streaks are called "crater rays."
- Crater rays are formed when an asteroid or comet strikes the surface.
- Mercury's surface temperatures are extremely hot and cold.
- Daytime temperatures reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius).
- Nighttime temperatures can drop to minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 180 degrees Celsius).
- Mercury has no atmosphere to retain heat.
- There may be water ice at Mercury's north and south poles inside deep craters.
- Regions in permanent shadows may be cold enough to preserve water ice.
- Mercury travels at nearly 29 miles (47 kilometers) per second.
- Mercury has the shortest year of all planets at 88 days.
- It takes 59 Earth days for Mercury to make one full rotation.
- Mercury completes an orbit around the Sun in 88 Earth days.
Exploration
- Mariner 10 was the first to fly by Mercury.
- Mariner 10 studied Venus to adjust speed and trajectory for Mercury.
- MESSENGER was the first to orbit Mercury.
- The MESSENGER mission found significant water in Mercury's exosphere.
- MESSENGER orbited Mercury for over four years.
- MESSENGER determined Mercury’s surface composition.
- Geological history was revealed and details about the internal magnetic field.
- Polar deposits of Mercury are dominantly water-ice.
- The MESSENGER mission ended when it was crashed into Mercury’s surface.
- ESA and JAXA launched a joint mission to Mercury in 2018 called BepiColombo.
- BepiColomboconsists of two spacecraft.
- ESA built the Mercury Planetary Orbiter.
- JAXA supplied the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter
- In October 2018 BepiColombo launched and is scheduled to begin orbiting Mercury in 2025.
- ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) will study the planet's surface and interior.
- JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MIO) will study the planet's magnetic field.
- NASA's Mariner 10 and MESSENGER missions were the only ones sent.
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