Mercury’s rich topography revealed for the first time

Mercury’s rich topography revealed for the first time

A team of scientists from the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Arizona State University, Carnegie Institute of Washington, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and NASA have produced a first comprehensive, high-resolution topographic map of…

Mysterious electric Mercury

Mysterious electric Mercury

In April 2015, the NASA spacecraft MESSENGER completed its more than four year journey in the orbit of the planet Mercury.New discoveries in the mission have emphasized just how mysterious Mercury is for planetary scientists. Recurring features across the entire planet

Unique cosmic coincidence – comets Encke and ISON to fly by Mercury

Unique cosmic coincidence – comets Encke and ISON to fly by Mercury

Comet Encke will fly by Mercury within 0.025 AU (3.74 million km) on November 18, 2013 and only a day later, Comet ISON will pass it at 0.24 AU. This is a unique cosmic coincidence and NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, which is orbiting the planet,

Triple conjunction in the sunset sky on May 26, 2013

Triple conjunction in the sunset sky on May 26, 2013

The three brightest planets in this month's night sky are lining up for a remarkable sunset conjunction at the end of May. 

On May 26, 2013, in a triple conjunction, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury will form a tight triangle only three degrees

May 2013 Skywatching guide

May 2013 Skywatching guide

May 2013 brings few interesting sky events. This years Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak on May 6 with expected zenith hourly rate of 55 meteors per hour. We are about to experience annular solar eclipse on May 9/10. Annularity will be visible from

Mercury seen at sunset

Mercury seen at sunset

The planet Mercury is about to make its best apparition of the year for backyard sky watchers. Look west at sunset for a piercing pink planet surrounded by twilight blue.Source: NASA Science

Messenger finds new evidence for ice on Mercury

Messenger finds new evidence for ice on Mercury

New data from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft suggest that there’s plenty of ice on Mercury’s polar regions. Given its proximity to the Sun, Mercury would seem to be an unlikely place to find ice. But the tilt of Mercury’s rotational axis is almost zero — less than one

Circumpolar rivers most responsible for high levels of mercury in the Arctic

Circumpolar rivers most responsible for high levels of mercury in the Arctic

Toxic mercury in the arctic, long thought to be coming primarily from atmospheric sources, is also being carried into the region by rivers. The Arctic accumulation of toxic mercury is caused by both atmospheric forces and the flow of circumpolar rivers that carry the

Farside CME hurled toward Mercury and Venus

Farside CME hurled toward Mercury and Venus

An active region on the far side of the sun erupted on October 14 and hurled a significant coronal mass ejection toward Mercury and Venus. Analysts at the Goddard Space Flight Center expect the cloud to hit the innermost planet on October 15 around 08:30 UTC….