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

 * Rembrandt Basin -
 * Caloris Basin -
 * Degas Crater -
 * Northern Volcanic Plains -
 * Debussy Crater -
 * Matabei Crater -
 * Hokusai Crater -

Mercury Has Molton Core (May 2007)
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/

Magnesium Detected in Mercury's Atmosphere (May 2009)

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

Mercury Surface Characterized (May 2009)

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

Remarkable Formations in Rembrandt Basin (May 2009)

 * http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/science/space/05merc.html?_r=1&ref=science
 * http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/multimedia/release_telecon_20090430.html
 * http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/44542472.html
 * http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2726/evidence-past-volcanic-activity-mercury
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43369/title/MESSENGER%E2%80%99s_second_pass
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43369/title/MESSENGER%E2%80%99s_second_pass
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/messengermercury/
 * 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
 * http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090430-mercury-globe.html
 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/apr/HQ_09_092_Messenger_flyby_results.html

Magnetic Tornadoes Discovered (Jun 2009)

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

Third Flyby Findings Announced (Jul 2010)
Include younger than expected lava flow, rapid magnetic field fluxuations, and dimmer sodium tail
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/science/20mercury.html?_r=2&ref=science
 * http://gazette.jhu.edu/2010/07/19/messenger%92s-third-flyby-reveals-new-information-about-mercury/
 * http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/61131/title/A_violent_tail
 * http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/07/mercury-flyby-teaser/
 * http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/jul/10-170_Messenger_New_Info.html
 * http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mercury-has-magnetic-storms-volcano-evidence-100715.html

First Image From Orbit (Mar 2011)

 * See Debussy Crater, Matabei Crater, Hokusai Crater


 * 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

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