Ss:Mercury

The innermost, fastest, and smallest solar system planet, known to the ancients as two different planets. It is composed mostly of a large iron core. It rotates three times for every two orbits around the Sun. Its daytime side is one of the hottest places in the solar system, while its night side is one of the coldest. One of the only rocky bodies known to have its own magnetic sphere. Has a minimal atmosphere and no moon. Visited by the Mariner 9 spacecraft three times and is currently orbited by Messenger. Several other international missions are planned.

Mercury Places in the News
Impact Craters: Craters: Plains:
 * Caloris Basin -
 * Rembrandt Basin -
 * Rachmaninoff Basin -
 * Degas Crater -
 * Debussy Crater -
 * Matabei Crater -
 * Hokusai Crater -
 * Northern Volcanic Plains -

Mercury Features
Interior Layers: Surface Terrain: Surface Forces: Features Above Mercury: Composition:
 * Mercury/Core -
 * Mercury/Crust -
 * Mercury/Smooth Plains -
 * Mercury/Intermediate Terrain -
 * Mercury/Low Reflectance Material -
 * Mercury/Volcanoes -
 * Mercury/Tectonics -
 * Mercury/Atmosphere -
 * Mercury/Tail -
 * Mercury/Magnetic Field -
 * Mercury/Magnetosphere -
 * Mercury/Magnetic Tornadoes -
 * Mercury/Flux Transfer Events -
 * Mercury/Plasmoids -
 * Mercury/Magnetic Substorms -
 * Mercury/Magnetopause -
 * Mercury/Magnetotail -
 * Mercury/Iron -
 * Mercury/Sulfur -
 * Mercury/Magnesium -
 * Mercury/Calcium -
 * Mercury/Sodium -
 * Mercury/Aluminum -
 * Mercury/Silicon -
 * Mercury/Hydrogen -
 * Mercury/Potassium -
 * Mercury/Helium -

Mercury Webpages

 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28planet%29

Mercury Has Molton Core (May 2007)

 * See Mercury/Core, Mercury/Magnetic Field, Mercury/Iron, Mercury/Sulfur


 * http://sundaygazettemail.com/section/News/2007050440
 * http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/11/5/7/1
 * http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1280
 * http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-050
 * http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2007/mercury/
 * http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/May07/margot.mercury.html
 * http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070503-mercury-core.html
 * http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070503_mercury_core.html
 * http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN0316923120070503
 * http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn11782-molten-core-may-explain-mercurys-magnetic-field.html
 * http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/05/03/mercurycore_spa.html?category=space&guid=20070503150030

Dark Halos Discovered (Mar 2008)

 * http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23576974/

2nd Flyby of Mercury (May 2009)

 * http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/multimedia/release_telecon_20090430.html
 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/apr/HQ_09_092_Messenger_flyby_results.html
 * http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/44542472.html
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/science/space/05merc.html?_r=1&ref=science
 * http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2726/evidence-past-volcanic-activity-mercury
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/messengermercury/
 * http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090430-mercury-globe.html

Magnesium Detected in Mercury's Atmosphere

 * See Mercury/Atmosphere, Mercury/Tail, Mercury/Magnesium, Mercury/Calcium, Mercury/Sodium, Mercury/Iron, Mercury/Aluminum, Mercury/Silicon


 * http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_12267618
 * http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/3cc168fd0a6b2a95605dee1f60b4e03b.html

Mercury Surface Characterized

 * See Mercury/Crust, Mercury/Regolith, Mercury/Volcanoes, Mercury/Smooth Plains, Mercury/Intermediate Terrain, Mercury/Low Reflectance Material, Mercury/Tectonics


 * http://asunews.asu.edu/20090430_mercury

Magnetic Tornadoes Discovered (May 2009)

 * See Mercury/Magnetic Tornadoes, Mercury/Plasmoids, Mercury/Flux Transfer Events, Mercury/Atmosphere, Mercury/Magnetosphere, Mercury/Magnetopause, Mercury/Magnetotail, Sun/Interplanetary Magnetic Field, Sun/Solar Wind, Venus/Atmosphere, Earth/Atmosphere, Mars/Atmosphere


 * http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/090608-mm-mercury-tornadoes.html

Remarkable Formations in Rembrandt Basin

 * See Rembrandt Basin


 * http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17063-mysterious-spokes-found-in-crater-on-mercury.html
 * http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/releaseDetail.cfm?releaseID=217

Third Flyby Findings Announced (Jul 2010)

 * Include younger than expected lava flow, rapid magnetic field fluxuations, and dimmer sodium tail
 * Spacecraft entered safety mode before all observations could be completed.


 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/jul/10-170_Messenger_New_Info.html
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/science/20mercury.html?_r=2&ref=science
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/07/mercury-flyby-teaser/
 * http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mercury-has-magnetic-storms-volcano-evidence-100715.html

First Evidence of Ion Emissions in Exosphere Detected

 * See Mercury/Exosphere, Mercury/Ion Emissions, Mercury/Calcium

New Information on Magnetic Substorms

 * See Mercury/Magnetic Substorms

Evidence of Younger Volcanic Activity

 * See Mercury/Volcanoes, Rachmaninoff Basin

Distribution of Chemical Elements in Exosphere Varies

 * See Mercury/Exosphere, Mercury/Sodium, Mercury/Calcium, Mercury/Magnesium

Getting Ready to Enter Mercury Orbit (Mar 2011)

 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/mar/HQ_M11-052_MESSENGER_Orbit.html
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/messenger-orbit-preview/
 * http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/06/mercury-messenger-nasa-space-mckie
 * http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110308/full/news.2011.142.html
 * http://www.space.com/11099-mercury-messenger-mission-solomon-qa.html - Q & A
 * http://www.space.com/11097-nasa-mercury-messenger-mission-orbit.html
 * http://www.space.com/11122-mercury-visible-skywatching-nasa-messenger.html - Visible in Night Sky
 * http://gazette.jhu.edu/2011/03/14/messenger-spacecraft-is-primed-for-orbit-mission-at-mercury/
 * http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/16/spacewatch-mercury-messenger
 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=159
 * http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20250-probe-set-to-become-mercurys-first-artificial-satellite.html
 * http://www.space.com/11134-nasa-mercury-orbit-spacecraft-excitement.html
 * http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/a4e70b550b61ada3a1528f874fcbb912.html
 * http://news.discovery.com/space/shrunken-mercury-messenger-probe-110316.html
 * http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-03-16/news/bs-md-messenger-mercury-apl-20110316_1_messenger-spacecraft-messenger-team-sean-solomon

About to Enter Mercury Orbit (Mar 2011)

 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/mar/HQ_M11-061_Messenger.html
 * http://www.space.com/11136-nasa-mercury-mysteries-messenger-spacecraft.html
 * http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/03/hari-miles-audio.html
 * http://space.flatoday.net/2011/03/nasa-spacecraft-headed-to-mercury-orbit.html
 * http://www.space.com/11148-nasa-mercury-spacecraft-orbit-arrival.html
 * http://blog.al.com/space-news/2011/03/messenger_satellite_fires_thru.html

Enters Mercury Orbit (Mar 2011)

 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/mar/HQ_11-079_MESSENGER_Orbits.html
 * http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1103/17Mercury/
 * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12761025
 * http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/home/spacenews/files/f8a5e1ca378904f9c2b833cbc17cabfb-202.html
 * http://www.economist.com/node/18386131?story_id=18386131&fsrc=rss
 * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12761025
 * http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-03-17/news/bs-md-messenger-orbit-20110317_1_mercury-orbit-messenger-spacecraft-nasa-s-messenger
 * http://en.rian.ru/science/20110318/163068669.html
 * http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/118224914.html
 * http://www.space.com/11160-nasa-spacecraft-mercury-orbit-messenger.html
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71327/title/MESSENGER_eases_into_Mercury%E2%80%99s_orbit
 * http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-031811a.html - postage stamp
 * http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/03/18/nasa.mercury.probe/?hpt=C2
 * http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/home/spacenews/files/f8a5e1ca378904f9c2b833cbc17cabfb-202.html
 * http://blog.al.com/space-news/2011/03/nasas_messenger_satellite_succ.html
 * http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0318/NASA-milestone-MESSENGER-spacecraft-enters-orbit-around-Mercury
 * http://www.space.com/11170-messenger-mercury-probe-museum-public.html - Public Viewing
 * http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/45415
 * http://www.npr.org/2011/03/18/134658892/NASA-Probe-Goes-Into-Mercurys-Orbit
 * http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-03/18/nasa-messenger
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/opinion/19sat4.html?_r=2&ref=opinion - Opinion
 * http://news.scotsman.com/spacescience/It39s-a-long-shot-405bn.6736689.jp?articlepage=1
 * http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2011-03-18-Mercury-MESSENGER-gravity_N.htm
 * http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/03/21/07.xml&headline=Messenger%20Probe%20Becomes%20First%20To%20Orbit%20Mercury
 * http://gazette.jhu.edu/2011/03/21/messenger-begins-historic-orbit-around-mercury/

Normal Operations Confirmed (Mar 2011)

 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=163
 * http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1103/23messenger/

First Image From Orbit (Mar 2011)

 * See Debussy Crater, Matabei Crater, Hokusai Crater


 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/mar/HQ_M11-069_MESSENGER.html
 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=165
 * http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/29/first-image-of-mercury-from-orbit-released/
 * http://www.space.com/11263-nasa-mercury-photos-results-messenger.html
 * http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1103/30messenger/
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/science/space/31mercury.html?_r=2&ref=science
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/mercury-orbit-gallery/ - has map of first photo
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71999/title/First_portraits_of_Mercury_from_orbit
 * http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/30/more-images-released-of-mercury-taken-by-orbiter/
 * http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110330-messenger-mercury-from-orbit-nasa-space-first-pictures-science/ - gallery of several early photos
 * http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/30/science/la-sci-messenger-20110331
 * http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/30/6376843-probe-sends-marvels-from-mercury?chromedomain=cosmiclog
 * http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/118958679.html
 * http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/home/spacenews/files/814a7574f45768d0630bba7ff8adcdc3-205.html
 * http://blog.al.com/space-news/2011/03/astronomers_use_words_like_awe.html
 * http://gazette.jhu.edu/2011/04/04/messenger-sends-back-first-image-of-mercury-from-orbit/
 * http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1814/1
 * http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/03/nasas_messenger_satellite_send.html
 * http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/03/nasa-craft-snaps-first-orbital-images-of-mercury/1
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71951/title/First_shot_of_Mercury_from_orbit
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/first-mercury-orbit/
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/science/space/29mercury.html?_r=2&ref=science
 * http://www.space.com/11254-nasa-photos-mercury-orbit-messenger-spacecraft.html
 * http://en.rian.ru/science/20110330/163277230.html
 * http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/29/6369556-first-look-at-mercury-from-orbit
 * http://space.flatoday.net/2011/03/messenger-sends-first-pic-from-mercury.html
 * http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-messenger-orbital-photograph-history-110329.html
 * http://www.space.com/11243-nasa-messenger-mercury-orbital-photo.html

First Image From Orbit Photoessay

 * See also SS Venus, SS Mars, SS Jupiter, SS Saturn, SS Uranus, SS Neptune


 * http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/04/photoessay-images-from-first-orbits.ars/1

Science Results from 100 Orbits (May 2011)

 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/soc/highlights.html
 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=170

Mercury Orbit Science Results (Jun 2011)

 * Press release with new photos and science results about Mercury June 16, including:
 * - Confirmed bursts of energetic particles in Mercury's magnetosphere are a continuing product of the interaction of Mercury's magnetic field with the solar wind. Magnetic field stronger in North than South, indicating something odd about its core.  This leaves the south polar regions more exposed to solar particles.
 * - Patchy deposits on crater floors observed during flybys revealed to be rimless pits, appear young, suggest a more volatile substance than expected on surface.
 * - Significant amounts of sulfur and potassium found on surface, in contrast with the Moon or Earth. This supports ground based claims sulfide minerals are present and may have contributed to past volcanism.  Rules out solar wind blast away Mercury's outer layer theory.
 * - Northern hemisphere is low-profile. Overall topographic deviation seen to date exceed 9 km.  Huge volcanic plains exist at the north polar regions, about the size of the continental United States.
 * - Craters at northern poles appear to be deep enough to support trapped water ice theory.


 * http://www.space.com/11943-greatest-mysteries-mercury-space.html - Greatest mysteries
 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_M11-119_Messenger.html - New Photos to be released
 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-186_MESSENGER_Update.html - Confirms theories, sees surprises
 * http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/06/scienceshot-mercury-reveals-some.html?ref=hp
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/science/space/17mercury.html?_r=1&ref=science
 * http://www.space.com/11992-nasa-mercury-spacecraft-surprises-solar-system.html
 * http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-nasa-mercury-idUSTRE75F65D20110616 - Origins may differ from other planets
 * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13796255
 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=174
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/331505/title/Messages_from_Mercury
 * http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/124079034.html
 * http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0616/How-Mercury-is-like-Saturn-and-other-surprises-from-NASA-s-orbiter
 * http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/06/mercury-likely-pummelled-in-it.html
 * http://www.itn.co.uk/home/21476/Nasa+rewrites+theories+on+planet+Mercury
 * http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/17/science/la-sci-mercury-messenger-20110617
 * http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/pictures-mercury-s-reputation-may-get-a-boost-thanks-to-messenger-20110616
 * http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-nasa-mercury-20110616,0,2290400.story
 * http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1106/20mercury/
 * http://carnegiescience.edu/news/messenger_orbital_data_confirm_theories_reveal_surprises

Messenger's Cost Saving Measures and Example (Jun 2011)

 * See SS Europa, SS Moon for GRAIL, SS Titan for Titan Mare Explorer


 * http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110623/full/news.2011.381.html

Messenger Marks 7th Anniversity of Launch (Aug 2011)

 * http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=179

Japan to launch Mirror Protected Spacecraft (Jul 2010)

 * http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7900309/Japan-launches-Mercury-mirror-space-craft-mission.html
 * http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T100719002973.htm

Mercury Naturally Smaller than Earth and Venus (Jan 2008)

 * http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126915.600-were-mercury-and-mars-separated-at-birth.html