Synopsis
Discusses the orbit, surface features, exploration, and other aspects of the planet Mercury.
Children's Literature
Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. As a result of its proximity to our solar system's star, Mercury experiences some of the most extreme contrasts in climate. In the daytime the temperature on Mercury hovers around 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Simultaneously, the night on Mercury is bitterly cold with temperatures plummeting to over 300 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Mercury also has an unusual pattern of orbit and rotation. While it requires only 88 days for Mercury to orbit the sun the planet rotates on its axis only 1.5 times during a year. Mercury is a planet that is difficult to see as it often is obscured by the sun's light. This seemingly shy planet is the subject of Steven Kipp's work of science. This volume of "The Galaxy" series transports readers to the alien world of Mercury. There young readers will be confronted with an environment that bears little similarity to our own planets. Combining a competent text with many visual images the author does a nice job of presenting Mercury to a younger audience. 2000, Bridgestone Books,