MERCURY

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, with a diameter of about 4,880 kilometers, making it slightly larger than Earth’s Moon. It is also the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 58 million kilometers (36 million miles), completing one orbit in just 88 Earth days. Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury does not retain much heat due to its lack of atmosphere, leading to drastic temperature changes between day and night. Daytime temperatures on Mercury can reach up to 430°C, while at night they can drop as low as -180°C, one of the most extreme temperature ranges in the solar system. Mercury has a heavily cratered surface, resembling the Moon, with large impact basins like the Caloris Basin, formed by collisions with asteroids and comets.

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