MESSENGER reveals new insights about Mercury
Posted: Fri, Jun 17, 2011, 6:53 AM ET (1053 GMT)
Early analysis of data returned by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft have provided planetary scientists with new information about the innermost planet. MESSENGER entered orbit around Mercury in March after performing three flybys of the planet, and is now returning a steady flow of data. Scientists have used MESSENGER to measure craters at the poles, finding that some craters are deep enough to be in permanent shadow. That supports earlier radar observations of the planet's poles that detected signatures consistent with ice that could survive for extended periods in shadowed regions. Other observations revealed that bright, patchy deposits seen in some crater floors are rimless pits surrounded by diffuse halos of more reflective material that could be linked to volatiles in the planet's crust. MESSENGER's instruments have also detected a regular series of energetic events in the planet's magnetosphere.
Early analysis of data returned by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft have provided planetary scientists with new information about the innermost planet. MESSENGER entered orbit around Mercury in March after performing three flybys of the planet, and is now returning a steady flow of data. Scientists have used MESSENGER to measure craters at the poles, finding that some craters are deep enough to be in permanent shadow. That supports earlier radar observations of the planet's poles that detected signatures consistent with ice that could survive for extended periods in shadowed regions. Other observations revealed that bright, patchy deposits seen in some crater floors are rimless pits surrounded by diffuse halos of more reflective material that could be linked to volatiles in the planet's crust. MESSENGER's instruments have also detected a regular series of energetic events in the planet's magnetosphere.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Blue Origin describes plans for increased New Glenn launch rates
Posted: Sat, Oct 17 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, October 24
NASA adopting Apollo’s urgency to build a moon base and land astronauts within two years
AP — 9:29 am ET (1329 GMT) Trump administration offers mixed messages on limits to Ukraine’s Starshield access
AP — 9:28 am ET (1328 GMT) Carney says 'direct casualties' are result of Ukraine's restricted access to Musk's Starshield
CBC — 9:28 am ET (1328 GMT) Starlink Is Back at 400+ Km/h as Ukraine Breaks Through Speed Restrictions After High-Level Talks
United24 Media — 9:27 am ET (1327 GMT) Ukraine’s Military Starlink Is Working Again, Kyiv Says
Wall Street Journal — 9:27 am ET (1327 GMT) |
