Space Station Glossary M

M

Mantle:

The interior region of a terrestrial (rocky) planet or also other solid body that is under the crust and above the core.

Mars:

The fourth planet in the solar system and the previous member of the hard, rocky planets (the inner or terrestrial planets), which orbit close to the Sun. The planet has a skinny atmosphere, volcanoes, and numerous valleys. Mars has two moons: Deimos and Phobos.

Mercury:

The neighboring planet to the Sun. The temperature range on Mercury’s surface is the majority extreme in the solar system, ranging from about 400° C (750° F) throughout the day to about –200° C (–300° F) at night. Mercury, which looks like Earth’s moon, has almost no atmosphere, no moons, and no water.

Moon:

A big body orbiting a planet. On Earth’s only moon, scientists have not detected life, water, or even oxygen on this heavily cratered body. The Moon orbits our planet in concerning 28 days.