the sunlight that hits Mercury is absorbed by its dark surface.

    Sunlight strikes Mercury's surface without being scattered or blocked by an atmosphere.  From the surface of Mercury, the sky would look like the night sky from Earth, even at noon.  Without air, objects in space would seem about 30 percent brighter than they do from Earth.  The light from Venus and Earth is so bright, it casts shadows on Mercury's rugged surface.

    Mercury is closer to the Sun than Earth is.  It also rotates very slowly.  During the long day, temperatures can climb to 870¡F (467¡C).  However, there is no atmosphere to trap the heat.  So, the temperature drops as the planet rotates into