With a diameter of approximately 3,100 miles, Mercury is one third the size of the Earth.
Mercury, in many ways, resembles our own moon in appearance.
So how much does Mercury weigh?
It has a weight of 330 trillion tons and is the second most dense planet in our solar system.
Since Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet, Mercury has become the smallest planet in our solar system. It’s the closest planet to the sun and one that does not have any of its own moons.
Earth is 2.5 times the size of Mercury.
Mercury is a planet that is shrinking.
This is because it is extremely hot inside Mercury, and it is gradually cooling. The result is a planet that is getting smaller over time.
When Was Mercury Discovered?
Different civilizations here on Earth have been aware of Mercury for hundreds of years. It has played an important role in many cultures.
It’s believed that the Sumerians were the first people to identify Mercury as a planet. This happened in the 3rd millennium B.C.
How Much Does A 100-Pound Person Weigh On Mercury?
Mercury has a much smaller gravitational force than we have here on planet Earth. So a human would weigh less if they were on the planet Mercury.
A 100-pound (45 kg) person weighs just 37.8 pounds (17 kg) on Mercury.
~ Fun Fact ~
Although being the closest planet to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in our solar system. Venus is actually hotter, despite being further away from the Sun. Average temperatures on Venus are a warm 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius)! That’s hot enough to melt lead.
Resources:
https://www.urban-astronomer.com/astronomy/what-does-mercury-weigh/
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/planets-weight/en/
https://www.space.com/18647-how-big-is-mercury.html