Mercury

Did you know… Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and the second-smallest planet in the solar system! It is about the same size as our Moon. Mercury travels around the Sun faster than any other planet. That is how it got its name. It was named after Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods in ancient Greek mythology.

Let’s check it out! Mercury’s surface looks a lot like our moon. There is a NASA mission that has been flying by Mercury. Mercury’s surface looks a lot like our moon. http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/gallery.html

2011 Video Mercury’s South Pole- Click on the link below and then the first video which shows the South Pole over One Mercury Solar Day. http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/movies.html The largest crater near the south pole has a diameter of 180 km.

Venus

Here is a close up of the rough terrain of Venus. The conditions of Venus are very harsh. Read page C61. http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html --> Check out this link for recent happenings on Venus!!

NASA Kid’s site to check out http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html