Changes

|solarday=175.93868 da

|solarday=175.93868 da

|axialtilt=0°

|axialtilt=0°

|mass=3.30 * 10²³ kg (5.522% earth)

|mass=3.30 × 10²³ kg (5.522% earth)

|density=5427 kg/m³

|density=5427 kg/m³

|meanradius=2439.7 km

|meanradius=2439.7 km

|composition=Iron, Silicate  

|composition=Iron, Silicate  

|color=Reddish  

|color=Reddish  

|mfd=0.033 G (3.3 * 10^-6 T)<ref name=mercuryfact>Williams, David R. "[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/mercuryfact.html Mercury Fact Sheet]." National Space Science Data Center, [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration|NASA]], November 30, 2007. Accessed May 29, 2008.</ref>

|mfd=0.033 G (3.3 × 10^-6 T)<ref name=mercuryfact>Williams, David R. "[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/mercuryfact.html Mercury Fact Sheet]." National Space Science Data Center, [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration|NASA]], November 30, 2007. Accessed May 29, 2008.</ref>

|pmdm=3.8 * 10¹⁹ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys2>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5976/ Mercury's Magnetic Field is Young]!" [[Creation Ministries International]], August 26, 2008. Accessed October 2, 2008.</ref>

|pmdm=3.8 × 10¹⁹ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys2>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5976/ Mercury's Magnetic Field is Young]!" [[Creation Ministries International]], August 26, 2008. Accessed October 2, 2008.</ref>

|cmdm=7.5 * 10²² N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/21/21_3/21_3.html The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed April 29, 2008.</ref>

|cmdm=7.5 × 10²² N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/21/21_3/21_3.html The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed April 29, 2008.</ref>

|mdt=812.6 a<ref name=calc>Calculated from observed present magnetic dipole moment and expected magnetic dipole moment at creation.</ref>

|mdt=812.6 a<ref name=calc>Calculated from observed present magnetic dipole moment and expected magnetic dipole moment at creation.</ref>

|mhl=563.3 a<ref name=calc/>

|mhl=563.3 a<ref name=calc/>

:''For information about the NASA project, see [[Project Mercury]].''

:''For information about the NASA project, see [[Project Mercury]].''

'''Mercury''' is the smallest planet in the [[Solar System]] and the closest to the [[Sun]]. It orbits the [[Sun]] in 88 Earth days and rotates on its axis every 58.6 Earth days,<ref>"The theory that Mercury is in [[synchronous rotation]] with its orbital motion was shattered in 1965. Astronomers Gordon Pettengill and Rolf Dyce used a radio telescope to make radar observations of Mercury’s spin rate. They found that Mercury’s rotation period is only 58.6 Earth days, not the 88 days accepted for nearly a century." [http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/elusive_planet/modern_times.htm]</ref> which is 3 rotations for every two orbits (called "3:2 resonance").  It can be seen from [[Earth]] only at sunrise and sunset.<ref name="spacemag">[http://www.space.com/spacewatch/mercury_view_030404.html Seeing Mercury at sunset], April 2003</ref>

'''Mercury''' is the smallest planet in the [[Solar System]] and the closest to the [[Sun]]. It orbits the [[Sun]] in 88 Earth days and rotates on its axis every 58.6 Earth days,<ref>"The theory that Mercury is in [[synchronous rotation]] with its orbital motion was shattered in 1965. Astronomers Gordon Pettengill and Rolf Dyce used a radio telescope to make [[radar]] observations of Mercury’s spin rate. They found that Mercury’s rotation period is only 58.6 Earth days, not the 88 days accepted for nearly a century." [http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/elusive_planet/modern_times.htm]</ref> which is 3 rotations for every two orbits (called "3:2 resonance").  It can be seen from [[Earth]] only at sunrise and sunset.<ref name="spacemag">[http://www.space.com/spacewatch/mercury_view_030404.html Seeing Mercury at sunset], April 2003</ref>

Mercury is one of the five brightest planets.   

Mercury is one of the five brightest planets.   

== Composition ==

== Composition ==

Mercury's core is made of molten metal, much like the Earth's. The molten [[Iron]] core generates the planet's magnetic field.

Mercury's core is made of molten metal, much like the Earth's. The molten [[Iron]] core generates the planet's [[magnetic field]].

== Orbital oddities ==

== Orbital oddities ==

Mercury has a very elliptical orbit. At its farthest distance from the Sun, it is nearly 50% farther than at its nearest distance to the Sun.<ref>http://astroprofspage.com/archives/139</ref>

Mercury has a very [[ellipse|elliptical]] [[orbit]]. At its farthest distance from the Sun, it is nearly 50% farther than at its nearest distance to the Sun.<ref>http://astroprofspage.com/archives/139</ref>

The [[precession]] of Mercury's eccentric orbit was detectable to 19th century astronomers.<ref name=Britannica>"[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-241978/Mercury Mercury: Mercury in tests of relativity]."  In "Mercury," ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17 April 2008</ref>

The [[precession]] of Mercury's eccentric orbit was detectable to 19th century astronomers.<ref name=Britannica>"[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-241978/Mercury Mercury: Mercury in tests of relativity]."  In "Mercury," ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17 April 2008</ref>

==Magnetic Field==

==Magnetic Field==

A curiosity of the planet is its magnetic field, which is about 1% that of Earth's. Scientists were perplexed to discover its existence, speculating that planet's outer core consisted of liquid iron. However, because it is relatively small and hot, such an outer core would long ago have expired. That Mercury is so intensely cratered would also suggest that Mercury should long ago have given up its magnetic field because of its extreme apparent age.  

A curiosity of the planet is its magnetic field, which is about 1% that of Earth's. Scientists were perplexed to discover its existence, speculating that planet's outer core consisted of liquid [[iron]]. However, because it is relatively small and hot, such an outer core would long ago have expired. That Mercury is so intensely cratered would also suggest that Mercury should long ago have given up its magnetic field because of its extreme apparent age.  

Thus, according to current scientific understandings, the existence of Mercury's magnetic field presents a serious theoretical problem for [[uniformitarian]] models of the creation of the Solar System.<ref name=Psarris>Psarris, Spike, ''Our Solar System: Evidence for Design'', Seattle Creation Conference, 2006.</ref><ref>Franco, Lucia M. "[http://astro.uchicago.edu/home/web/lucia/a100/lectures/mercury.html  Lecture 10.1: Mercury]." ''Astronomy 100 at Indiana University Northwest'', [[Indiana University]], 1996. Accessed April 17, 2008.</ref> The problem of Mercury's magnetic field is more acute when one considers that Mars, which is slightly larger than Mercury and spins much faster, has a much weaker magnetic field.

Thus, according to current scientific understandings, the existence of Mercury's magnetic field presents a serious theoretical problem for [[uniformitarian]] models of the creation of the Solar System.<ref name=Psarris>Psarris, Spike, ''Our Solar System: Evidence for Design'', Seattle Creation Conference, 2006.</ref><ref>Franco, Lucia M. "[http://astro.uchicago.edu/home/web/lucia/a100/lectures/mercury.html  Lecture 10.1: Mercury]." ''Astronomy 100 at Indiana University Northwest'', [[Indiana University]], 1996. Accessed April 17, 2008.</ref> The problem of Mercury's magnetic field is more acute when one considers that Mars, which is slightly larger than Mercury and spins much faster, has a much weaker magnetic field.

Accordingly, in 1984 Humphreys boldly declared:{{cquote|Mercury's decay rate is so rapid that some future probe could detect it fairly soon. In 1990 the planet's magnetic moment should be 1.8 percent smaller than its 1975 value.<ref name=Humphreys/>}}

Accordingly, in 1984 Humphreys boldly declared:{{cquote|Mercury's decay rate is so rapid that some future probe could detect it fairly soon. In 1990 the planet's magnetic moment should be 1.8 percent smaller than its 1975 value.<ref name=Humphreys/>}}

In fact, according to Humphreys' extrapolations of the decay time and [[half-life]] of the magnetic field of Mercury, the [[magnetic dipole moment]] in 2008 should be ''four'' percent smaller than that measured in 1975 by Mariner 10. Specifically, this should be (4.5 +/- 0.25) * 10¹⁹ N-m/T.

In fact, according to Humphreys' extrapolations of the decay time and [[half-life]] of the magnetic field of Mercury, the [[magnetic dipole moment]] in 2008 should be ''four'' percent smaller than that measured in 1975 by Mariner 10. Specifically, this should be (4.5 ± 0.25) × 10¹⁹ N-m/T.

On January 14, 2008, [[MESSENGER]] made rendezvous with Mercury and measured its magnetic field. This rocket probe's measurements are consistent with a magnetic dipole moment of (3.8 +/- 0.7) * 10¹⁹ N-m/T. This represents a significant decline from the Mariner 10 measurement, because the two measurements differ by more than the sum of their respective tolerances. More to the point, the higher tolerance range of the current measurement lies well within the predicted magnetic dipole moment that Mercury should have at present. If, on the other hand, the true measurement is ''less'' than predicted, that would pose an even greater problem for uniformitarian astrophysics, because such a rapid decay would be utterly inconsistent with an age for Mercury of 4.6 billion years. It would present no problem with the Humphreys model, but would suggest that the core conductivity and/or conductive mass of Mercury is less than Humphreys initially supposed.<ref name=Humphreys2/>

On January 14, 2008, [[MESSENGER]] made rendezvous with Mercury and measured its magnetic field. This rocket probe's measurements are consistent with a magnetic dipole moment of (3.8 ± 0.7) × 10¹⁹ N-m/T. This represents a significant decline from the Mariner 10 measurement, because the two measurements differ by more than the sum of their respective tolerances. More to the point, the higher tolerance range of the current measurement lies well within the predicted magnetic dipole moment that Mercury should have at present. If, on the other hand, the true measurement is ''less'' than predicted, that would pose an even greater problem for uniformitarian astrophysics, because such a rapid decay would be utterly inconsistent with an age for Mercury of 4.6 billion years. It would present no problem with the Humphreys model, but would suggest that the core conductivity and/or conductive mass of Mercury is less than Humphreys initially supposed.<ref name=Humphreys2/>

== Gallery ==

== Gallery ==