Mercury
Latest about Mercury
Mercury slammed by gargantuan eruption from the sun's hidden far side, possibly triggering 'X-ray auroras'
By Harry Baker published
A gigantic plasma eruption from the sun's hidden far side recently launched a sizable coronal mass ejection that slammed into Mercury, potentially triggering invisible X-ray auroras around the planet's rocky surface.
Mercury is home to exotic glaciers of salt, and they may host life beneath them
By Robert Lea published
Salt glaciers uncovered on Mercury, the second planet from the sun, could have implications for the habitability of this tiny planet and similar worlds beyond the solar system.
Here's the (moon) scoop: Mercury 7-flown clock, Apollo lunar shovel up for auction
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The clock is ticking on a space artifacts auction, though this time it is not just any timing device driving the bids. The 'satellite clock' from Scott Carpenter's Mercury capsule is up for sale.
Mercury was shrinking for at least 3 billion years — and it still might be today
By Stefanie Waldek published
New research indicates that Mercury's thermal contraction was still occurring as recently as 300 million years ago.
Watch Mercury roll by in a stunning sequence from BepiColombo probe (video)
By Tereza Pultarova published
The European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft took this stunning sequence of images of its target planet Mercury during a gravity assist flyby designed to alter its speed.
European probe captures stunning up-close views of planet Mercury during brief flyby (video, photos)
By Tereza Pultarova published
Europe's Mercury-bound probe BepiColombo made its third close flyby of its target planet on Monday (June 19), revealing a surface riddled with craters, including one that just received a name.
Europe's BepiColombo spacecraft zooms within 150 miles of Mercury in close flyby
By Tereza Pultarova published
Europe's Mercury probe BepiColombo will take a close look at its target planet on Monday (June 19), and we can expect some exciting new images soon after that.
Mercury: A complete guide to the closest planet to the sun
By Charles Q. Choi, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and the smallest planet in the solar system. Here we explore the strange world in more detail.
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