We travel to the smallest and fastest planet in our solar system, the "iron planet", Mercury. We get to know the extreme conditions that prevail on its surface and the characteristics that make it unique. We also learn about the BepiColombo mission of ESA and JAXA that will shed light on many of the mysteries of the small planet.
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1. How is it possible for Mercury to maintain an atmosphere, even if it is negligible, if the particles that make it up are constantly carried away by the sun's radiation?
Losses are offset either by particles produced by the impact of objects on the planet's surface, or by volcanic activity, or by the entrapment of solar wind particles in the gravitational field of Mercury. This "exosphere" of Mercury consists mainly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium and potassium.
2a. Why does Mercury have a larger iron core than the other planets?
One of the explanations given concerns the magnetic field of the Sun. The solar magnetic field, during the formation of our solar system, exerted a strong attraction on the materials that were made of iron, as a result of which it forced them to approach our parent star. The BepiColombo mission will shed more light on the explanation of the phenomenon.
2b. How do we know the composition and size of the Mercury nucleus?
The MESSENGER spacecraft made detailed measurements of the inhomogeneities of the planet's gravitational field and its rotation. From these observations the "profile" of the planet's density was created. Then, based on models, an assessment was made of the materials that might make it up - always based on what we know about the conditions and materials that were available in our solar system.
3. How much has Mercury shrunk?
Due to the cooling of its core, it is estimated that its radius has decreased by 1-7 kilometers, ie its diameter by 2-14 kilometers. The display of contraction in the video is enhanced to show the phenomenon.
(Related source: ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/201...)
4. Why is Mercury called the "iron planet"?
About 70% of Mercury's mass is made up of iron, making it the most iron-rich planet in our solar system.
(Source: coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/a...)
5. How did the ancients know that Hermes moved fast?
The rapid motion of Mercury is reflected in its motion in the sky, that is, its position is shifted rapidly in relation to the background of the stars.
6a. Article proving that on average Mercury is the closest planet to Earth: physicstoday.scitation.org/do...
6b. The relevant animation: • Mercury is the closest...
7. More information about the mechanism that leads to the contraction of Mercury:
www.newscientist.com/article/...
8. NASA Mercury Website:
solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/...
9. The ESA BepiColombo website:
www.esa.int/Science_Explorati...
10. What is the strength of the gravity on Mercury?
It is about 37.7% of the Earth's gravity.
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Presentation-Editing: Pavlos Kastanas
Software: Space Engine, Universe Sandbox 2
Image Sources: NASA, ESA, ESO, Pixabay (Creative Commons 3.0 License)
Music:
-Jason Shaw (Audionautix) - Big Car theft under a Creative Commons 3.0 License
-Kevin Macleod - Hypnothis under a Creative Commons 3.0 License
-Unicorn Heads - Space Station Experience under a Creative Commons 3.0 License
(creativecommons.org/licenses/...)