Study Guides/Geography/Closest Planet to the Sun
Study Guide · Geography

Which is the Closest Planet to the Sun?

In our Solar System, the planets orbit the Sun at varying distances. The closest planet to the Sun is Mercury.

Question (Click to Flip)

Which is the closest planet to the Sun?

Answer

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

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Key Facts

Closest Planet: Mercury.

Smallest Planet: Mercury.

Hottest Planet: Venus (due to greenhouse effect).

Mercury's Year: 88 Earth days.

Moons: 0.

Facts About Mercury

  • Distance from Sun: Roughly 58 million kilometers.
  • Size: It is the smallest planet in the solar system (only slightly larger than Earth's moon).
  • Orbit: Because it is so close to the Sun, it has the shortest year. It takes only 88 Earth days to complete one orbit around the Sun.
  • Moons: Mercury has zero moons and no rings.

Why is Mercury NOT the Hottest Planet?

You might think that being the closest to the Sun makes Mercury the hottest planet. This is false.

Venus is the hottest planet. Why? Because Mercury has almost no atmosphere to trap heat. The side facing the Sun gets incredibly hot (430°C), but the side facing away from the Sun loses all its heat to space and gets freezing cold (-180°C). Venus, however, has a thick, toxic atmosphere of carbon dioxide that creates a massive greenhouse effect, keeping its surface constantly roasting at around 475°C.

Order of Planets from the Sun

For context, the order is:

  1. Mercury (Closest)
  2. Venus
  3. Earth
  4. Mars
  5. Jupiter
  6. Saturn
  7. Uranus
  8. Neptune (Farthest)

Questions and Answers

Which is the closest planet to the Sun?+

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

Is Mercury the hottest planet?+

No. Venus is the hottest planet because its thick atmosphere traps heat. Mercury has no atmosphere to hold the heat in.

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