What are the physical features of Venus?

The planet is a little smaller than Earth, and is similar to Earth inside. We can’t see the surface of Venus from Earth, because it is covered with thick clouds. However, space missions to Venus have shown us that its surface is covered with craters, volcanoes, mountains, and big lava plains.

What are 5 interesting facts about Mercury?

Cool Mercury Facts

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
Mercury is also the smallest planet in the Solar System.
Not only is Mercury the smallest planet, it is also shrinking!
Mercury has the most craters in the Solar System.
The biggest crater in Mercury could fit Western Europe.

Where is Mercury located?

RA 20h 52m 52s | Dec -18° 22′ 10″Mercury / Coordinates

What does Mercury look like from Earth?

The planet Mercury looks a little bit like Earth’s moon. Like our Moon, Mercury’s surface is covered with craters caused by space rock impacts. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and the eighth largest. Mercury has a thick iron core and a thinner outer crust of rocky material.

Does Venus have any geological features?

Radar mapping reveals a varied terrain on the surface of Venus: mountains, plains, high plateaus, canyons, volcanoes, ridges, and impact craters. Overall, Venus looks fairly flat. Elevation differences vary little, only 2 to 3 km, except for a few highland regions.

What are 5 characteristics of Venus?

Structure and Surface

Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system.
Venus is a terrestrial planet. It is small and rocky.
Venus has a thick atmosphere. It traps heat and makes Venus very hot.
Venus has an active surface, including volcanoes!
Venus spins the opposite direction of Earth and most other planets.

What are special features of Mercury?

One of the most notable features on Mercury is Caloris Basin, an impact crater about 960 miles wide that formed early in the planet’s history. Mercury has no rings, no moons, and a relatively weak magnetic field. Mercury is a scarred world covered in craters, ridges, and bright debris from numerous impacts.

What are 10 fun facts about Mercury?

10 Strange Facts About Mercury (A Photo Tour)

Mercury, Closest to the Sun.
Most Extreme Temperature Fluctuations in the Solar System.
The Smallest Planet.
Survived Impact with Giant Asteroid.
Mercury’s Crazy Orbit.
Mercury Has Ice.
It Has a Huge, Iron Core.
A NASA Probe Mapped Mercury’s Entire Surface.

How big is Mercury vs Earth?

Size and Distance With a radius of 1,516 miles (2,440 kilometers), Mercury is a little more than 1/3 the width of Earth. If Earth were the size of a nickel, Mercury would be about as big as a blueberry.

Does Mercury always face the Sun?

For hundreds of years it was thought to rotate synchronously, so that it always kept one face to the Sun, just as the Moon always keeps one face to the Earth. On the average, Mercury moves four degrees around the Sun each (Earth) day, while rotating six degrees.

What are some unique features of Mercury?

It has a solid surface that is covered with craters like our Moon. It has a thin atmosphere, and it doesn’t have any moons. Mercury likes to keep things simple. Mercury spins slowly compared to Earth, so one day lasts a long time.

Does Venus have lava plains?

Many volcanic calderas are observed on Venus, both atop shield volcanoes and on the widespread lava plains. They are often roughly circular in shape and overall are similar to calderas observed on Earth and Mars. Along with the extensive lava plains and the massive shield volcanoes are many smaller volcanic landforms.

What are the physical characteristics of mercury?

Mercury’s physical characteristics. Mercury is the second densest planet after Earth, with a huge metallic core roughly 2,200 to 2,400 miles (3,600 to 3,800 km) wide, or about 75 percent of the planet’s diameter. In comparison, Mercury’s outer shell is only 300 to 400 miles (500 to 600 km) thick.

Is Mercury’s interior tectonically active?

“The young age of the small scarps means that Mercury joins Earth as a tectonically active planet with new faults likely forming today as Mercury’s interior continues to cool and the planet contracts,” Tom Watters, Smithsonian senior scientist at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., said in a statement.

Why is the planet Mercury so hard to see?

Its closeness to the Sun and its smallness make it the most elusive of the planets visible to the unaided eye. Because its rising or setting is always within about two hours of the Sun’s, it is never observable when the sky is fully dark. Mercury is designated by the symbol ☿. Mercury as seen by the Messenger probe, January 14, 2008.

How big is Mercury when it is nearest to the Sun?

If one could stand on Mercury when it is nearest to the sun, it would appear more than three times as large as it does when viewed from Earth. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and has a thin atmosphere, no air pressure and an extremely high temperature.