Nearest planet to the earth _____.

Mercury

The correct answer is Option 2:  Mercury

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and also the one closest to the Sun. It has a highly elliptical orbit, meaning its path around the Sun is more oval-shaped than circular. Due to this elliptical orbit, the distance between Mercury and Earth fluctuates significantly. At its closest point, Mercury can be as near as 38 million kilometers (24 million miles) from Earth. However, at its farthest point, it can be as distant as 215 million kilometers (133 million miles).

Venus, our second planet from the Sun, also has an orbit around the Sun. While its orbit is closer to a circle than Mercury's, it's still not perfectly circular. Interestingly, due to their orbital mechanics, there are times when Venus gets closer to Earth than Mercury. At its closest approach, Venus can be a mere 40 million kilometers (25 million miles) away.

Even though Venus can be closer at specific times, on average, Mercury spends more time at a closer distance to Earth. This is because Mercury's smaller orbit means it completes its revolution around the Sun much faster than Venus (Mercury: 88 Earth days, Venus: 224.7 Earth days). As a result, Mercury has more frequent opportunities to be on the same side of the Sun as Earth, keeping the average distance between them smaller.