The closest planet to the Sun is Mercury. It orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 57.9 million kilometers (36 million miles). Mercury’s proximity to the Sun results in extreme temperature variations and a lack of a significant atmosphere. It has the shortest orbital period of any planet in our solar system.
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Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of approximately 57.9 million kilometers (36 million miles). Due to its proximity, Mercury experiences extreme temperature fluctuations, ranging from extremely hot during the day to freezing cold at night. The planet has a very thin atmosphere, which contributes to these drastic temperature changes. Mercury has the shortest orbital period of any planet in the solar system, completing one orbit around the Sun in just about 88 Earth days. Its close orbit also means it has a small, elliptical orbit and lacks significant weather patterns or atmospheric protection.