Why is it important to learn about Mercury?
Mercury’s eccentric orbit relative to the other planets, and its close distance to the Sun, helped scientists confirm Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Simply put, the theory deals with how the light of a star changes when another planet or star orbits nearby.
Are there any future missions to Mercury?
The future spacecraft exploration of Mercury is set to continue with the joint ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission. The mission is scheduled to launch in October 2018 and to arrive at Mercury in 2025 for a one-year nominal mission.
Why is Mercury the best planet?
The same can probably be said of Mercury, the best planet in the solar system (other than Earth). It lacks a real atmosphere, so there’s nothing preventing asteroids from hitting the surface, and the planet has billions of years worth of craters to show for it.
What do you need to know about the planet Mercury?
Click the planet badges to learn more about Mercury: See all the planet badges. Here you can see that Mercury is a light grey color. This is Mercury’s northern horizon as seen by the MESSENGER spacecraft during its third flyby. The big, star-shaped crater towards the bottom of the globe is named Debussy.
How long does it take for one day on Mercury?
This small planet spins around slowly compared to Earth, so one day lasts a long time. Mercury takes 59 Earth days to make one full rotation. A year on Mercury goes by fast. Because it’s the closest planet to the sun, it doesn’t take very long to go all the way around. It completes one revolution around the sun in just 88 Earth days.
How often does Mercury pass between Earth and the Sun?
You can only catch Mercury at dawn and dusk, and it usually does not rise far above the horizon. But that’s not the only time the tiny planet makes an appearance. Because of its position in the solar system, Mercury passes between Earth and the sun 13 times each century in an event known as a transit.
What can Mercury be used for in the past?
It is also used in batteries, lamps, industrial processes, refining, lubrication oils, and dental amalgams. (1) Inorganic Mercury Inorganic mercury was used in the past in laxatives, skin-lightening creams and soaps, and in latex paint. In 1990, EPA canceled registration for all interior paints that contained mercury.