Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun in our solar system. It is small, rocky, and orbits the Sun faster than any other planet. The average distance between Mercury and the Sun is about 57.9 million kilometers (approximately 36 million miles). This is called Mercury’s orbital radius.

Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, it has very hot days, with temperatures reaching around 430 degrees Celsius (about 800 degrees Fahrenheit). But it also has very cold nights, sometimes dropping to -180 degrees Celsius (-290 degrees Fahrenheit), because it has almost no atmosphere to keep the heat.

Mercury completes one orbit around the Sun in just 88 Earth days, much shorter than Earth’s 365-day year. Its closeness to the Sun causes it to move very fast in its orbit.

Knowing Mercury’s distance from the Sun helps scientists understand its temperature, how it moves, and its position in the solar system. Mercury is the first planet from the Sun, followed by Venus, Earth, and Mars, which are all further away.

In short, Mercury is about 57.9 million km from the Sun. This distance affects many of its characteristics and makes it an interesting planet to study.