Friday, October 07, 2011

The Planet Mercury




Did you know this?

  • Mercury travels around the sun every 88 days.
  • Temperatures on Mercury can reach 800 degrees F during the day and then because the atmosphere is thin (and thus does not retain heat) temperatures can drop to -290 degrees F.
  • A day on Mercury is 58.646 Earth days or 1407.5 hours.
  • Mercury is just a bit bigger than our moon.
  • Messenger, NASA's mission to Mercury was launched August 3, 2004. On March 17, 2011 Messenger began orbiting Mercury. But before that happened the spacecraft did several "flybys" of Mercury, Venus and Earth. This link explains why the "flybys" are needed. Going into orbit around a planet isn't easy, this link explains how Messenger did it and stays there.
If you want to see Mercury for yourself, this link will tell you where to look.
The NASA Messenger site has all sorts of information. You'll be amazed at what there is to learn about Mercury.

Sometimes it's just good to ponder how big the universe is, and how little any of us knows about it.

Psalm 148

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.*
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike, old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!




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