Mercury

Mercury is our solar system's smallest planet.

Related Topics: Earth, Venus, We Don't Planet 

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Woman and child viewing night sky with a telescope.

The brightest planets in October's night sky: How to see them (and when)

By Joe Rao published

Reference Our viewing guide tells you which planets are visible in October's night sky and how you can see them.

Mercury covered with craters against the black backdrop of space.

10 strange Mercury facts

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Mercury is a rather weird planet that constantly intrigues scientists. Learn more about the planet closest to the sun with these 10 interesting facts.

Mercury's crater-covered surface in an image captured by the BepiColombo spacecraft during its second flyby at the planet.

Watch Mercury roll by as BepiColombo probe makes superclose flyby (video)

By Tereza Pultarova published

A new video shows the crater-riddled surface of the solar system's smallest planet Mercury as captured during a super close flyby of the BepiColombo spacecraft.

Graphic showing the moon and Mercury close together in the predawn sky.

See the moon shine near Mercury before dawn on Monday as it concludes its planet tour

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

The moon will pass close to Mercury in the predawn sky on Monday (June 27). Find out how and where to see this skywatching event.

A view of 5 planets aligned in the morning sky with labels.

You can watch the rare 5-planet alignment in a live webcast for free today

By Elizabeth Howell published

You can watch the five naked-eye planets align for free on a livestream that will be running Sunday (June 26).

Wright Dobbs took this image of the five naked-eye planets from St. Cloud, Florida on June 24, 2022.

See the rare alignment of 5 planets and the moon in this stunning night sky photo

By Elizabeth Howell published

The rare sight of five bright planets lining up with the moon wowed skywatchers around the world Friday and you can still see it this weekend.

The BepiColombo mission flew by Mercury on June 23, 2023 for the second time. Also visible in foreground, is the spacecraft's high-gain antenna.

Mercury shows off craters in amazing pictures from BepiColombo flyby

By Elizabeth Howell published

BepiColombo's second close flyby of Mercury Thursday (June 23) gave a stunning set of close-ups of the planet's craters and volcanic regions.

Graphic showing a line of planets and the moon across the predawn sky.

Rare alignment of 5 planets peaks Friday as crescent moon joins the parade

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

A rare planetary alignment will peak predawn on Friday (June 24) when the crescent moon joins the party. An alignment like this will not occur again until 2040.

Mercury's crater-covered surface in an image captured by the BepiColombo spacecraft during its second flyby at the planet.

Mercury-bound spacecraft whizzes past the smallest planet for the 2nd time

By Tereza Pultarova published

The Mercury-bound space probe BepiColombo has taken its second look at its target planet today during a superclose flyby designed to slow it down and adjust its trajectory.

sky map of five planets

Rare 5-planet alignment comes into better view this week. Here's what to expect.

By Joe Rao published

A rare parade of planets is coming into better view in the second half of June, and even the moon will join the show.

Illustration showing the location of Mercury in the pre-dawn sky.

See Mercury as it reaches 'greatest elongation' before dawn on Thursday

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Mercury will reveal itself at pre-dawn tomorrow (June 16) when the planet reaches greatest western elongation. Here's how to see it.

NASA sky map of five bright visible planets before dawn in June 2022.

A 'planetary breakup' of 5 planets in the June's big stargazing sight, NASA says

By Samantha Mathewson published

The rare alignment of five naked-eye planets will begin to "break up" as they appear to grow increasingly distant from one another in the morning sky.

Mercury and the moon (lower right) portrayed close together in Earth's sky on May 2, 2022.

Don't miss Mercury shine with the crescent moon in tonight's sky!

By Elizabeth Howell published

The moon will point the way to the usually elusive Mercury tonight (May 2).

The planet Mercury will be visible in the evening sky about 40 minutes after sunset in the late April 2022 night sky.

Elusive planet Mercury will shine after sunset in the April 2022 evening sky

By Joe Rao published

Mercury will join the evening sky of April after sunset starting on April 16. Here's how to see it.

Mercury transits the sun on Nov. 11, 2019.

The sun has blasted Mercury with a plasma wave

By Ben Turner published

The wave likely scoured the surface of the weakly magnetic planet.

A false-color image of Mercury taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft highlights the physical variation across the planet.

Mercury: The smallest and closest planet to the sun

By Charles Q. Choi, Scott Dutfield published

Reference Planet Mercury is the sun's nearest planetary neighbor. It has short years, long days, huge surface temperature fluctuations and really weird sunsets.

The moon, Mercury and Saturn all meet up in the sky on Feb. 28, 2022. Also visible are Venus and Mars.

The moon meets up with Mercury and Saturn early Monday morning

By Elizabeth Howell published

You may be able to watch the moon cluster up with ringed Saturn and fleeting Mercury on Monday (Feb. 28), but it will be a considerable challenge.

This sky map shows the view from New York City just after sunset on Jan. 7, 2022.

Look up to spot the tricky planet Mercury at its 'greatest elongation' from the sun tonight

By Elizabeth Howell published

The planet Mercury, typically hard to spot for skywatchers, will be at its greatest distance from the sun in our sky Friday (Jan. 7).

Mercury will reach dichotomy, meaning the planet appears half-illuminated as seen from Earth, on Oct. 23, 2021.

How to spot the 'elusive' planet Mercury in the night sky this month

By Joe Rao published

For the next two and a half weeks, early-morning skywatchers will have an excellent opportunity to spot the so-called "elusive planet" — Mercury.

Artist impression of BepiColombo flying by Mercury on 1 October 2021.

First close-up pictures of Mercury from BepiColombo hint at answers to the planet's secrets

By David Rothery published

The BepiColombo spacecraft – a joint project by the European and Japanese space agencies – swung by its destination planet Mercury in the early hours of Oct. 2.