Mercury Buddy

Mercury…is on the fast track! Mercury is the smallest and also the fastest planet in the Solar System.

I am the closest planet to the Sun and am named after the messenger to the Roman Gods, whose speed was enhanced by his winged sandals. (Personally, I prefer winged sneakers!) I am the fastest planet in the Solar System, flying around the Sun in a mere 88 days. I race through space at 30 miles per second, outpacing the Earth, who clocks in at just 19 miles a second. Although I am the smallest planet in the Solar System, my large iron core makes me the second heaviest, only slightly lighter than Earth.

Although I am the closest planet to the Sun, I am actually not the hottest . . .that honor belongs to Venus with her heat-trapping atmosphere. I`m very hot on the side that faces the Sun, but the other side is always more than 200 degrees below zero!

My appearance is similar to the Earth’s Moon, for I am heavily cratered, lack an atmosphere and have no natural satellites.

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