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First Results From Messenger's Mercury Flyby
Posted by
kdawson
on Friday July 04, @01:37PM
from the hot-stuff dept.
from the hot-stuff dept.
Several readers noted the special section in Science, published today, with results from Messenger's flyby of Mercury last January. One conclusion is that volcanism has shaped the planet, contrary to earlier theories that Mercury had been "dead on arrival." The LA Time's coverage highlights the finding that Mercury has shrunk by a mile in diameter over its lifetime, due to shrinkage at its core.
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Shrinkage (Score:5, Funny)
In Mercury's defense, it was in the pool.
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Re:Shrinkage (Score:5, Funny)
I think mercury needs another excuse.
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Re:Shrinkage (Score:4, Funny)
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Re: (Score:2)
The farside of Mercury is one of the coldest places in the Solar System.
Re:But it has a tail! (Score:5, Interesting)
Reminds me of the "Earth is Growing" theory, offered as an alternative to Plate Tectonics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yqBaD5VwrQ&feature=related [youtube.com]
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Re: (Score:2)
That doesn't make sense though, ShieldW0lf. We see subduction and mountain formation occurring all over, and if that theory were true, there would be no formation of mountains. They would, instead, have "always been there."
Also, the amount of water was apparently close to none in the early history of Earth, because rather than draw rising oceans due to a smaller surface area, he simply makes the blue areas disappear.
It just doesn't hold up, sorry.
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Re: (Score:2)
Didn't say you did, I used the pronoun "he" to make that distinction. I could have used "you" instead if I sought to say you made that theory.
Finally (Score:5, Funny)
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Compact (Score:5, Funny)
All the extra Mercury is in our new lightbulbs.
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Don't feel bad, mercury (Score:2, Funny)
A certain amount of shrinkage is normal with age.
Re: (Score:2)
A certain amount of shrinkage is normal with age.
WTF, is there really such a thing as penises shrinking with age? :-S
Re:Don't feel bad, mercury (Score:5, Funny)
WTF, is there really such a thing as penises shrinking with age? :-S
Yes. But don't worry, your balls sag more to compensate.
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Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Yes. I don't mean to scare you, but I have already reached the big 30, and mine is miniscule. I'm lucky I'm married!
Discoveries for the taking (Score:5, Insightful)
This is why we do it. We haven't paid much attention to Mercury, so almost everything there is new, just waiting to be discovered. Who knows what else we will find?
...laura
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Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Or it is harder to get to Mercury than to LEO, Moon or Mars.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Or it is harder to get to Mercury than to LEO, Moon or Mars.
go at night! =)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
This is why we do it. We haven't paid much attention to Mercury, so almost everything there is
new, just waiting to be discovered. Who knows what
else we will find?
Sounds like the floor underneath my couch.
Slightly OT : And still no colour picture! (Score:5, Insightful)
All this time after the flyby, and still no real-colour picture of the planet, as they're literally sitting on it. They have entire mosaics of the planet taken in all the probes 11 filters, including red, green and blue filters, and yet they can't be arsed to put those together to finally let use see Mercury in its truest colours!
Also, where are the updated maps of Mercury? You know, ones that would cover more than the 45% of the surface covered by Mariner 10? God I just wish they would release all their raw images just like they did with Cassini-Huygens so that we could do all the cool stuff they can't be bothered to do. And I feel entitled to this as it's all financed with tax payer money, right? (Well, let's ignore the fact that I'm not even American)
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Re:Slightly OT : And still no colour picture! (Score:4, Funny)
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Re: (Score:2, Informative)
It is a form of art to make many of those pictures look good.
It may piss you off, just a little, but there is this thing called "dibs".
For sure someone has shotgun too.
And you know guys that can call those are BUSY.
vulcanism & iron defficiency (Score:5, Funny)
Volcanic eruptions & iron deficiency sound like a planetary version of Hillary Clinton.
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Do astronomers know about shrinkage? (Score:2)
Maybe it was in the pool?
Re: (Score:2)
This discussion turned into a male organ mockery so fast, I can only conclude Mercury and Earth definitely need more female geeks.
Well, I haven't heard of planets sagging yet.
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Well, I haven't heard of planets sagging yet.
Are you saying that Venus can still pass the pencil test?