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* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Mercury Fun Facts Astronomy Name: Period: Using the words below, fill in the blanks to the Mercury paragraphs Moving Heat Closest Pluto Axis sunset moons Sun Mercury sky Venus temperature atmosphere surface Seasons Mercury is the planet _________________________ to the Sun in our Solar System and the fastest _________________________ planet in our Solar System. It is the second-hottest planet in our Solar System (only _________________________ is hotter). Mercury is so close to the _________________________ that from Earth, you can only see it near sunrise or _________________________. Mercury has no _________________________. Mercury was named after Mercury, the mythical Roman winged messenger. This small, rocky planet has almost no atmosphere. Since the atmosphere is so slight, the _________________________ would appear pitch black (except for the sun, stars, and other planets, when visible), even during the day. If you were on the surface of _________________________, the Sun would look almost three times as big as it does from Earth! Also, there is no "greenhouse effect" on Mercury. When the Sun sets, the temperature drops very quickly since the _________________________ does not help retain the _________________________. Mercury has a very elliptical orbit and a huge range in temperature. During the long daytime (which lasts 88 Earth days or an entire Mercurian year), the _________________________ is hotter than an oven; during the long night (the same length), the temperature is colder than a freezer. Mercury is about 3,031 miles (4,878 km) in diameter. It is the smallest planet in our Solar System (_________________________, now not considered to be a planet, is smaller). Mercury is only slightly larger than our moon. Mercury is a heavily cratered planet; its surface is similar to the _________________________ of the Earth's moon. There are no seasons on Mercury. _________________________ are caused by the tilt of the axis relative to the planet's orbit. Since Mercury's _________________________ is directly perpendicular to its motion (it is not tilted), it has no seasons. Use your brain or the text to answer the following: 1. Is Mercury composed of rock or gases?_________________ 2. Since Mercury is close to the Sun, it gets very hot. Does it ever get cold? _____________________ 3. Does Mercury have a thick or thin atmosphere? __________________ 4. Is Mercury closer to the size of the Earth or our moon? __________________ 5. If you stood on the surface of Mercury, what color would the sky be? _____________________ 6. We have four seasons on Earth. Are there any seasons on Mercury? ______________ 7. How many moons does Mercury have?_______________________ 8. Would a person feel very light or very heavy on the surface of Mercury? ___________________ 9. Is Mercury the smallest planet in the Solar System? ______________________ 10. Is the surface of Mercury covered with craters, molten iron, or oceans? ___________________