MOST of us know that Mercury is the planet that orbits the closest to the sun.
That is probably why people usually assume that Mercury is the hottest planet in the solar system due to its proximity to the sun.
But is this actually true?
Verdict:
FALSE
Despite being the closest planet to the sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in the solar system.
Instead, that honour goes to Venus, which has the second closest orbit to the sun.
According to the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), Venus has a dense atmosphere full of carbon dioxide and clouds of sulfuric acid.
These gases trap heat and cause temperatures on Venus to rise so high that it could melt metals like lead.
Mercury, on the other hand, does not have an atmosphere which means it does not trap any heat.
Nasa says Venus’ mean temperature is 464 degrees Celsius while Mercury’s is 167 degrees Celsius.
References:
1. https://science.nasa.gov/
2. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/
3. https://science.nasa.gov/
