Small mercury, similar to the great planets

2009/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia
• Astronomia

Mercury also had volcanic eruptions and tectonic activity, according to the images and data sent by the Messenger probe. Scientists believed that Mercury was similar to the Moon, that is, a cold body, without its own activity. Now, the researchers of the Messenger mission have discovered that it has remnants of volcanic eruptions, cracks and faults caused by tectonic activity. These characteristics were only seen on the larger planets of the solar system.

The Messenger probe has sent the highest resolution images of the history of Mercury, which has allowed them to know the details that so far they have not been able to see. All the information available to date on the planet was obtained from the images obtained through the terrestrial telescopes and the Mariner 10 probe in the 1970s.