Mercury, First Planet From the Sun: Latest Discoveries

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

Mercury is our solar system's smallest planet.

Filter by Type

Your Selection All Articles Countdowns Image Albums Infographics Quizzes References Wallpapers

How Did an Oddball Planet Like Mercury Form?

October 23, 2018 | Article

Whether Mercury formed from a single collision or multiple impacts, the iron-rich planet is probably a rare breed.
Read More
Genius Bot: Chat with 'Einstein' Via Facebook Messenger

April 21, 2017 | Article

Chat with "Albert Einstein" using a Facebook Messenger chatbot, released just in time for the March for Science.
Read More
Weird Landscape Shows That Mercury's No 'Dead' Planet

November 30, 2016 | Article

Although NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is dead, the Mercury mission's data lives on.
Read More
Mercuryquakes May Currently Shake Up the Tiny Planet

September 26, 2016 | Article

Mercury may still rumble with earthquakes, or "mercuryquakes," according to evidence found in cliffs on the planet's surface.
Read More
Mercury Mystery Solved: Scientists Decode Planet's Weird Surface

August 29, 2016 | Article

Mercury has a very diverse surface, with some areas boasting young-looking terrain and others that are heavily cratered, but scientists couldn't explain why the planet's surface had such stark differences — until now.
Read More
Rare Meteorites May Explain Mercury's Puzzling Surface Features

July 21, 2016 | Article

A rare type of meteorite found on Earth may have been a critical ingredient in the geologic recipe that shaped the surface of Mercury, new research shows.
Read More
Messenger: New Views of Mercury

May 09, 2016 | Reference

NASA's Messenger mission spent several years mapping Mercury, which was poorly understood for decades.
Read More
Gorgeous New Mercury Maps Showcase Planet's Striking Features

May 09, 2016 | Article

A stunning digital model of Mercury unveils the planet's striking landscape, while other new maps provide a closer look at the shadowed northern pole and reveal the highest and lowest points on the closest planet to the sun.
Read More
The Transit of Mercury Across the Sun's Face Has Begun: First Videos

May 09, 2016 | Article

The planet Mercury is making its way across the face of the sun (as seen from Earth) in a rare transit event today (May 9). See our first video of the sight from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
Read More
Mercury's Global Topography Model Revealed In New Animation

May 06, 2016 | Video

The first global digital elevation model (DEM) of Mercury is displayed - regions with higher elevations are colored brown, yellow, and red. Lower elevations are colored blue and purple.
Read More