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Mercury, being the closest to the Sun, with a weak magnetic field and the smallest mass of the recognized terrestrial planets, has a very tenuous and highly variable atmosphere (surface-bound exosphere) containing hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium and water vapor, with a combined pressure level of about 10 −14 bar (1 nPa). [2]
The atmosphere of Mars has been losing mass to space since the planet's core slowed down, and the leakage of gases still continues today. [ 4 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] The atmosphere of Mars is colder than Earth’s owing to the larger distance from the Sun, receiving less solar energy and has a lower effective temperature , which is about 210 K (−63 °C ...
The wide range in temperatures is due to the thin atmosphere which cannot store much solar heat, the low atmospheric pressure (about 1% that of the atmosphere of Earth), and the low thermal inertia of Martian soil. [137] The planet is 1.52 times as far from the Sun as Earth, resulting in just 43% of the amount of sunlight. [138] [139]
Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is made of silicate rock and has a water-ice crust [16] and probably an iron–nickel core. It has a very thin atmosphere, composed primarily of oxygen. Its geologically young white-beige surface is striated by light tan cracks and streaks, with very few impact craters. In addition to Earth-bound ...
Like Saturn's largest moon Titan, it is larger than the planet Mercury, but has somewhat less surface gravity than Mercury, Io, or the Moon due to its lower density compared to the three. [18] Ganymede orbits Jupiter in roughly seven days and is in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively.
Ring particles modifying Saturn’s upper atmosphere, changing its composition, scientists say Saturn’s rings are breaking apart and heating up planet’s thin atmosphere, study finds Skip to ...
Each material has been suggested as a result of processes such as impacts, solar wind, and degassing from the terrestrial body that cause the atoms or molecules to form the planet's exosphere. [9] Meteoroids have been reported to commonly impact the surface of Mercury at speeds ranging up to 80 km/s, which are capable of causing vaporization of ...
The atmosphere of Venus supports decks of opaque clouds of sulfuric acid that cover the entire planet, preventing optical Earth-based and orbital observation of the surface. Information about surface topography has been obtained exclusively by radar imaging. Aside from the very surface layers, the atmosphere is in a state of vigorous ...