Planetary News
I just joined THE PLANETARY SOCIETY, and will receive The Planetary Report soon. My timing may be good, for there have been a couple of interesting developments in planetary science.
The first is a major dust storm on Mars. Dust storms are nothing new of course. One blanketed the entire Red Planet in 1971, threatening to veil the Martian surface from the US probe Mariner 9. This time, however, the presence of functioning landers on Mars enables researchers to study such an event in greater detail. The current storm has been associated with a decrease in atmospheric pressure.
The other development is the discovery that Mercury has more polar ice than previously thought. Despite the searing heat of Mercury's equatorial zone, its poles are cold enough for ice because the innermost planet has essentially zero obliquity. Without axis tilt or seasons, the poles remain in perpetual darkness and cold. They may contain enough water to submerge Washington D.C. two miles deep. This is interesting because it suggests future colonization of Mercury may be possible, at least at higher latitudes, where water is available and solar heat less terrific. Conceivably, some of the ice may have melted and entered underground reservoirs, where life may exist--though that's far-fetched. In any case, I hope the next Planetary Report will provide interesting details of both developments.
The first is a major dust storm on Mars. Dust storms are nothing new of course. One blanketed the entire Red Planet in 1971, threatening to veil the Martian surface from the US probe Mariner 9. This time, however, the presence of functioning landers on Mars enables researchers to study such an event in greater detail. The current storm has been associated with a decrease in atmospheric pressure.
The other development is the discovery that Mercury has more polar ice than previously thought. Despite the searing heat of Mercury's equatorial zone, its poles are cold enough for ice because the innermost planet has essentially zero obliquity. Without axis tilt or seasons, the poles remain in perpetual darkness and cold. They may contain enough water to submerge Washington D.C. two miles deep. This is interesting because it suggests future colonization of Mercury may be possible, at least at higher latitudes, where water is available and solar heat less terrific. Conceivably, some of the ice may have melted and entered underground reservoirs, where life may exist--though that's far-fetched. In any case, I hope the next Planetary Report will provide interesting details of both developments.
posted by starman at 4:47 AM
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