The surface of Mercury looks much like the surface of our Moon. The largest crater on Mercury is the Caloris basin at 1,550 kilometres across. The impact that formed it caused lava eruptions and shock waves that formed hills and furrows around the basin. Mercury also has two different types of plains. The smooth plains were likely formed by lava flows, while inter-crater plains may have been formed by lava or by impacts. The most unusual features are the wrinkles and folds across its plains and craters, caused by the cooling and contraction of the planet’s core.
4 Shock waves
Impacts with large meteorites actually send shock waves through the core of the planet and around its perimeter. 5 Uplifted crust
The shock waves force the rocky mantle to buckle upwards through the crust, forming mountains. 12,756 kilometres The transit of Mercury Every seven, 13 and 33 years, Mercury can be seen as a black spot moving across the Sun. 3 Ejecta 1 Meteorite impact
Mercury has been continually hit with comets and meteorites. The largest of these impacts have effects across the planet.
Impacts force debris high into the air on Mercury. Falling debris settles around the crater, creating an ejecta blanket. 2 Crater
Some craters are relatively shallow and narrow, but impacts with meteorites leave large craters. SIZES Mercury’s diameter is two-fifths that of Earth, and its mass is roughly six per cent of Earth’s