The Solar System - Word Search - PUZZLE #2 MERCURY - August 2025

PUZZLE #2 - MERCURY 

IN-CONTEXT WORD DEFINITIONS

Eighty-eight: Eighty-eight refers to the number of Earth days it takes Mercury to complete one orbit around the Sun — the shortest orbital period of all the planets in the solar system.

Closest: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 58 million kilometers (36 million miles).

Mercurius: Mercurius is the Latin name for Mercury, derived from the Roman god of speed and communication, after whom the planet was named.

Hot: Mercury is hot because of its proximity to the Sun, with daytime surface temperatures reaching up to 430°C (800°F). However, it can also become extremely cold at night due to its lack of atmosphere.

Iron: Mercury has a large iron core, making up about 85% of its radius — the highest ratio of metallic core to volume of any planet in the solar system.

Fastest: Mercury is the fastest-moving planet in its orbit around the Sun, traveling at nearly 47.9 km/s (29.7 miles/s).

Rotate: Mercury’s rotation is unique

Mariner: Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft to visit Mercury, conducting flybys in 1974 and 1975. It provided the first close-up images of the planet's surface.

Scarps: Scarps are long, curved cliffs on Mercury’s surface formed by the planet’s shrinking crust as it cooled and contracted over billions of years. They are evidence of tectonic activity.

Secret Word: This refers to both the Roman god Mercury, and a NASA spacecraft, which orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, studying its surface and composition.