Mercury does not have a thick atmosphere to protect it from space debris. The small planet is riddled with craters, but none as spectacular as the Caloris Basin. “Basin” is what geologists call craters larger than about 186 miles (300 kilometers) in diameter.
What is the biggest crater on Mercury?
The crater, discovered in 1974, is surrounded by the Caloris Montes, a ring of mountains approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) tall.
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Caloris Planitia.
| Mosaic of the Caloris basin based on photographs by the MESSENGER orbiter. | |
|---|---|
| Planet | Mercury |
| Coordinates | 30.5°N 189.8°WCoordinates:30.5°N 189.8°W |
Which planet has the largest crater?
New analysis of Mars’ terrain using NASA spacecraft observations reveals what appears to be by far the largest impact crater ever found in the solar system. New analysis of Mars’ terrain using NASA spacecraft observations reveals what appears to be by far the largest impact crater ever found in the solar system.
How big is the biggest crater on Mars?
Hellas Impact Crater (also known as Hellas Planitia) is an enormous impact crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars. It is about 2,300 kilometers (1,400 miles) in diameter and about 9 kilometers (5 miles) deep. It is the largest impact crater on the planet. NASA Image.
How many craters does Mercury have?
In this image alone, 763 craters have been identified and measured (shown in green) along with 189 hills (shown in yellow). Altogether, 491 frames were taken by the NAC to create high-resolution mosaics of Mercury’s surface.
What is the hottest planet?
Venus is the exception, as its proximity to the Sun and dense atmosphere make it our solar system’s hottest planet. The average temperatures of planets in our solar system are: Mercury – 800°F (430°C) during the day, -290°F (-180°C) at night. Venus – 880°F (471°C)
How long is a year on Mercury?
88 days
What is the deepest crater?
Stretching 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers) wide and 8 miles (13 km) deep, the South Pole-Aitken basin, as the tremendous hole is known to Earthlings, is the oldest and deepest crater on the moon, and one of the largest craters in the entire solar system.
Which planet has the longest year?
Given its distance from the Sun, Neptune has the longest orbital period of any planet in the Solar System. As such, a year on Neptune is the longest of any planet, lasting the equivalent of 164.8 years (or 60,182 Earth days).
What is the Moon’s biggest crater?
The oldest and largest crater – a massive 2,000km across and 13km deep – sits at the far side of the moon. Known as the South Pole Aitken basin, this crater fascinates scientists because it may help reveal what’s inside the moon.
What planet has the shortest day?
The planet Jupiter has the shortest day of all the eight major planets in the Solar System. It spins around on its axis once every 9 hr 55 min 29.69 sec. Jupiter has a small axial tilt of only 3.13 degrees, meaning it has little seasonal variation during its 11.86-year-long orbit of the Sun.
What is the tallest volcano on Mars?
The largest of the volcanoes in the Tharsis Montes region, as well as all known volcanoes in the solar system, is Olympus Mons. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano 624 km (374 mi) in diameter (approximately the same size as the state of Arizona), 25 km (16 mi) high, and is rimmed by a 6 km (4 mi) high scarp.
Which planet is the least dense planet?
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, but it’s Saturn—the solar system’s second largest planet—that takes the prize for least dense.
Is Mercury the hottest planet?
On its sunny side, Mercury can reach a scorching 800 degrees Fahrenheit! (But Mercury is not the hottest planet in the solar system. The hottest planet is Venus.) On its dark side, Mercury gets very cold because it has almost no atmosphere to hold in heat and keep the surface warm.
What 2 planets have 53 moons?
Saturn. Saturn has 53 moons that have been named. Saturn also has 29 moons awaiting confirmation.
Who named Mercury?
Mercury is one of the five classical planets visible with the naked eye and is named after the swift-footed Roman messenger god. It is not known exactly when the planet was first discovered – although it was first observed through telescopes in the seventeenth century by astronomers Galileo Galilei and Thomas Harriot.