Mercury at a glance
Position1st planet
TypeRocky planet
YearAbout 88 Earth days
Known forExtreme temperature swings
The big idea
Learn the essentials of Mercury and how it connects to the Sun, planets, moons and orbital motion.
How it fits into the wider picture
Mercury is connected to other objects and processes in the archive. Use the related links on this page to move outward from one topic into a broader view of the Solar System and universe.
Look, then read
The visual comes first, but the text explains what the shapes, colours and relationships mean. That makes the page useful both as a quick reference and as a starting point for deeper reading.
From the original archive
This English guide is part of the rebuilt VisibleGalaxies archive and uses topic and visual material from the supplied source site.