Difference between revisions of "Mercury"
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| − | ''This is about the planet Mercury. For information about the chemical element Mercury see [[Mercury (element)]].'' | + | :''This is about the planet Mercury. For information about the chemical element Mercury see [[Mercury (element)]].'' |
[[Image:Murcurt.jpg|right|thumb|Reprocessed Mariner 10 data was used to produce this image of Mercury. The smooth band is an area of which no images were taken.]] | [[Image:Murcurt.jpg|right|thumb|Reprocessed Mariner 10 data was used to produce this image of Mercury. The smooth band is an area of which no images were taken.]] | ||
[[Mercury]] is the smallest planet in the [[Solar System]], and it is the closest to the [[Sun]]. It orbits the [[Sun]] in 88 (Earth) days. It rotates on its axis every 58.6 days,<ref>"The theory that Mercury is in [[synchronous rotation]] with its orbital motion was shattered in 1965. Astronomers Gordon Pettengill and Rolf Dyce used a radio telescope to make radar observations of Mercury’s spin rate. They found that Mercury’s rotation period is only 58.6 Earth days, not the 88 days accepted for nearly a century." [http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/elusive_planet/modern_times.htm]</ref> which is 3 rotations for every two orbits (called "3:2 resonance"). It can be seen from [[Earth]] only at sunrise and sunset. It is named for the Roman messenger god who was known as [[Hermes]] in Greek. | [[Mercury]] is the smallest planet in the [[Solar System]], and it is the closest to the [[Sun]]. It orbits the [[Sun]] in 88 (Earth) days. It rotates on its axis every 58.6 days,<ref>"The theory that Mercury is in [[synchronous rotation]] with its orbital motion was shattered in 1965. Astronomers Gordon Pettengill and Rolf Dyce used a radio telescope to make radar observations of Mercury’s spin rate. They found that Mercury’s rotation period is only 58.6 Earth days, not the 88 days accepted for nearly a century." [http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/elusive_planet/modern_times.htm]</ref> which is 3 rotations for every two orbits (called "3:2 resonance"). It can be seen from [[Earth]] only at sunrise and sunset. It is named for the Roman messenger god who was known as [[Hermes]] in Greek. | ||
Revision as of 06:10, April 1, 2007
- This is about the planet Mercury. For information about the chemical element Mercury see Mercury (element).
Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System, and it is the closest to the Sun. It orbits the Sun in 88 (Earth) days. It rotates on its axis every 58.6 days,[1] which is 3 rotations for every two orbits (called "3:2 resonance"). It can be seen from Earth only at sunrise and sunset. It is named for the Roman messenger god who was known as Hermes in Greek.
It was the study of this planet's orbit that Albert Einstein used to help confirm the theory of General Relativity.[cite reference]
Notes
- ↑ "The theory that Mercury is in synchronous rotation with its orbital motion was shattered in 1965. Astronomers Gordon Pettengill and Rolf Dyce used a radio telescope to make radar observations of Mercury’s spin rate. They found that Mercury’s rotation period is only 58.6 Earth days, not the 88 days accepted for nearly a century." [1]