The geology of Mercury is the scientific study of the surface, crust, and interior of the planet Mercury. It emphasizes the composition, structure, history, and physical processes that shape the planet. It is analogous to the field of terrestrial geology. In planetary science, the term geo...
Previously, much of the Mercury's surface was unknown as it is too far for Earth-bound telescopes to see clearly, while the Mariner 10 flybys in the 1970s observed only about half. The above video is a compilation of...
Introduction Mercury’s surface temperatures are both extremely hot and cold. Because the planet is so close to the Sun, day temperatures can reach highs of 800°F (430°C). Without an atmosphere to r...
When the planet Mercury formed 4 billion years ago, conditions may have been just right to form a thick layer of diamonds below its surface
, Mercury, Earth, Ratio (Mercury/Earth) ; Mass (10 24 kg), 0.33010, 5.9722, 0.0553 ; Volume (10 10 km 3 ), 6.083, 108.321, 0.0562 ; Equatorial radius (km), 2440.5, 6378.1, 0.383 ; Polar radius (km), 2438.3, 6356.8, 0.384 ; Volumetric mean radius (km), 2439.7, 6371.0, 0.383 ; Ellipticity (Flattening), 0.0009, 0.00335, 0.269 ; Mean density (kg/m 3 ), 5429, 5513, 0.985 ; Surface gravity (mean) (m/s 2 ), 3.70, 9.82, 0.378 ; Surface acceleration (eq.) (m/s 2 ), 3.70, 9.78, 0.378 ; Surface acceleration (pole) (m/s 2 ), 3.71, 9.83, 0.377 ; Escape velocity (km/s), 4.3, 11.2, 0.384 ; GM (x 10 6 km 3 /s 2 ), 0.022032, 0.39860, 0.0553 ; Bond albedo, 0.068, 0.294, 0.231 ; Geometric albedo, 0.142, 0.434, 0.327 ; V-band magnitude V(1,0), -0.613, -3.99, - ; Solar irradiance (W/m 2 ), 9082.7, 1361.0, 6.674 ; Black-body temperature (K), 439.6, 254.0, 1.731 ; Topographic range (km), 7, 20, 0.350 ; Moment of inertia (I/MR 2 ), 0.35, 0.3308, 1.058 ; J 2 (x 10 -6 ), 50.3, 1082.63, 0.055 ; Number of natural satellites, 0, 1, ; Planetary ring system, No, No,
A layer of diamonds was found beneath Mercury's surface. This could help scientists understand the planet's unusual magnetic field.
Learn about Mercury's internal structure, geology and surface, magnetosphere, and orbit Let's look at the internal structure, geology, and surface of Mercury, which is the closest and smallest plan...
Mercury is a terrestrial planet with a rocky surface and metallic core.
The scorching hot surface of Mercury seems like an unlikely place to find ice, but research over the past three decades has suggested that water is frozen on the first rock from the Sun, hidden awa…
The surface of Mercury is enriched in carbon compared with the other terrestrial bodies. Up to 4 wt% of carbon in the form of graphite has been invoked to explain its mysteriously low surface refle...