Updated 22.11.2013 Mercury - the closest planet to the Sun - is known since prehistoric times. A very dense planet, and some scientists think that Mercury is actually shrinking. 50 years today since the assassination of JFK seems like an approriate day to publish this article on Mercury which astrologically governs - among other things - the gift of gab which John F. Kennedy certainly had! This blog too is very mercurial in nature, and in a constant state of change. Mercury also governs all the bits and pieces of knowledge and the inquisitive nature of man that in the end hopefully take us to the truth of things - even if that too may change.
Mean surface temperature: The side facing the Sun can reach 426 Celsius, but with no appreciable atmosphere the planet can't trap in the heat - so the side facing away from the Sun is way colder, even -173 degrees Celsius. Mercury is the coldest of the inner planets.
Circumference: 15,329 km.
Diameter: 4,879 km (3,031.9 miles) - 38% of Earth’s, so not much bigger than the Moon.
MERCURY'S CRATERS
Much like the Moon, the surface of Mercury is heavily cratered. Most Mercurian craters are named after famous writers and artists. The planet has not been geologically active for a very long time.
MERCURY SEEN FROM EARTH
Like the Moon and Venus, Mercury exhibits phases as seen from Earth. It is "new" at inferior conjunction and "full" at superior conjunction. The planet is rendered invisible from Earth on both of these occasions because of its relative nearness to the Sun. Mercury is more easily seen at tropical and subtropical latitudes than at higher latitudes.
EXPLORATION OF MERCURY
Mariner 10 in 1974-1975. The first spacecraft to visit Mercury. Unfortunately, due to the length of Mariner 10's orbital period, the
same face of the planet was lit at each of Mariner 10's close
approaches. This made observation of both sides of the planet
impossible and resulted in the mapping of less than 45% of the planet's surface. On March 24, 1975, Mariner 10 ran out of fuel. Because its orbit could no longer be accurately controlled, mission controllers instructed the probe to shut down. Mariner 10 is thought to be still orbiting the Sun, passing close to Mercury every few months.
Messenger was the next to go. Launched on August 3, 2004, the first fly-by of Mercury occurred on January 14, 2008. The probe successfully entered an elliptical orbit around the planet on March 18, 2011. The probe finished a one-year mapping mission, and is now on a one-year extended mission expected to end in 2013. Have a look at NASA's Messenger Mission page, or the Messenger website.
The European Space Agency is planning a joint mission with Japan called BepiColombo, which will orbit Mercury with two probes: one to map the planet and the other to study its magnetosphere (Earth and Mercury are the only two planets in the Solar System to have a magnetosphere). Once launched in 2015, the spacecraft bus is expected to reach Mercury in 2019.
COLONIZATION OF MERCURY
Mercury has been suggested as one possible target for space colonization of the inner Solar System, along with Mars, Venus, the Moon and the asteroid belt. Thermal protection of colonists and any sensitive equipment would require shielding from the intense solar radiation that reaches
Mercury's surface.
More on this later...
MERCURY AND UFOS
Was there a cloaked mothership near Mercury in December 2011? - Exonews -
Photos and videos of Mercury
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Scott Waring: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unxwBTCRIBk&noredirect=1
LINKS
- Daily Galaxy - NASA:Messenger - Universe Today - Wiki - Wiki:ColonizationOfMercury - Wiki:MercuryCraters -
