Mercury the iron planet

Mercury is the first of eight planets in our solar system and orbits closest to the Sun. It is composed of a solid 85% iron core with a thin cratered crust. Planet Mercury moves from the morning sky to the evening sky several times a year. It never deviates far from the horizon so can be hard to locate. It is the smallet and most cratered planet in the solar system.

Mercury 4K image

Pan, zoom, or go full-screen with this megapixel image of Mercury.

Mercury facts

Mercury surface features

Mercury's surface is similar in appearance to our Moon, with large impact basins, craters, and mare-like plains. There are a number of notable geological surface features on Mercury.

Mercury poles

The north pole of Mercury holds quantities of water ice trapped in deep craters that are permanently in shadow.

Mercury vs. Earth ratios

Planet sizes are to relative scale.

MERCURY

diameter = 0.38
gravity = 0.38
surface pressure = 0
solar irradiance = 6.7
day = 176
year = 0.24
sun distance = 0.39

EARTH

diameter = 1
gravity = 1
surface pressure = 1
solar irradiance = 1
day = 1
year = 1
sun distance =1