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Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the Solar System, which means it is a rocky body like Earth. It is the smallest planet in the Solar System, with an equatorial radius of 2,439.7 kilometres (1,516.0 mi). [4] Mercury is also smaller—albeit more massive—than the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, Ganymede and Titan.
The timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their natural satellites charts the progress of the discovery of new bodies over history. Each object is listed in chronological order of its discovery (multiple dates occur when the moments of imaging, observation, and publication differ), identified through its various designations (including temporary and permanent schemes), and the ...
The exploration of Mercury has a minor role in the space interests of the world. It is the least explored inner planet. [1] As of 2015, the Mariner 10 and MESSENGER missions have been the only missions that have made close observations of Mercury.
Like the Morning and Evening Stars, Mercury was deemed to be a distinct planet when it was visible during daytime, and dedicated to Apollo by the Greeks. Eventually, in the 4th century BC, Mercury and Apollo were found to be one and the same. [4] Sun: Antiquity: 1543 Star: In antiquity, it was believed that the Sun and all the planets orbit the ...
Pluto was, however, found to be too small to have disrupted the orbits of the outer planets, and its discovery was therefore coincidental. Like Ceres, it was initially considered to be a planet, but after the discovery of many other similarly sized objects in its vicinity it was reclassified in 2006 as a dwarf planet by the IAU. [22]
Seven Earth-sized planets have been discovered orbiting a nearby star, three of which appear to be warm enough to sustain life, according to astronomers from NASA and the European Southern ...
These lists contain the Sun, the planets, ... which were not discovered by the Voyager 2 flyby, ... Mercury: 2 439.7 ...
A "baby" planet that astronomers recently observed some 430 light-years from Earth may be the youngest planet ever discovered. Forming an estimated 3 million years ago, the planet may seem old to us.