Comments on: Mercury just needs some rest http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:15:28 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lab Lemming http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72024 Lab Lemming Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:04:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72024 Just a reminder that Mercury is currently <a href="http://lablemminglounge.blogspot.com/2008/02/planet-party-530-am.html" rel="nofollow">very easy to find </a>in the pre-dawn sky. Just a reminder that Mercury is currently very easy to find in the pre-dawn sky.

]]> By: Harold http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72023 Harold Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:23:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72023 I see Bigfoot near the center of that big crater! I see Bigfoot near the center of that big crater!

]]> By: Barton Paul Levenson http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72022 Barton Paul Levenson Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:17:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72022 I'm guessing the dark color may have been to material thrown off by a dark-colored impactor. That or something is sputtering dark material around that spot and no other. Is it possible that there's some kind of low-level volcanic activity on Mercury, possibly driven by tidal heating? I’m guessing the dark color may have been to material thrown off by a dark-colored impactor. That or something is sputtering dark material around that spot and no other. Is it possible that there’s some kind of low-level volcanic activity on Mercury, possibly driven by tidal heating?

]]> By: Philippe http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72021 Philippe Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:18:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72021 "Mercury just needs some rest" groan... now, this truly is BAD astronomy! ;-) Going on vacation for a week, man, I'll miss this blog. Dr. Plait, keep up the good work. The rest of you, just make sure that Huckabee isn't declared Prez and replaces the NSF by the Disco 'Tute! “Mercury just needs some rest”

groan…

now, this truly is BAD astronomy!
;-)

Going on vacation for a week, man, I’ll miss this blog. Dr. Plait, keep up the good work.

The rest of you, just make sure that Huckabee isn’t declared Prez and replaces the NSF by the Disco ‘Tute!

]]> By: s.mihm http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72020 s.mihm Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:36:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72020 sorry guys but this photo is as drab and blah as it can get..who knows whereinhell it really is? sorry guys but this photo is as drab and blah as it can get..who knows whereinhell it really is?

]]> By: wotthe7734 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72019 wotthe7734 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:44:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72019 Via Lugosi's link above: <blockquote>at perihelion, the motion of [Mercury] around the Sun is faster than its rotation, so that the Sun actually seems to stop its normal (westward) motion, and move the other way for a little while!</blockquote> Wooooooooaaaaaahhh Ceiling Cat! The sun stands still, then moves backwards in the sky! Have scientists discovered the site of the Biblical Jericho? Then the Bible is literal fact after all......... except that the Old Testament happened on a different planet....... No, wait........ In space no one can hear you blow your ram's horn......... False alarm! :-) We now return you to your regularly scheduled skeptical frame of mind already in progress. Via Lugosi’s link above:

at perihelion, the motion of [Mercury] around the Sun is faster than its rotation, so that the Sun actually seems to stop its normal (westward) motion, and move the other way for a little while!

Wooooooooaaaaaahhh Ceiling Cat! The sun stands still, then moves backwards in the sky! Have scientists discovered the site of the Biblical Jericho? Then the Bible is literal fact after all……… except that the Old Testament happened on a different planet…….

No, wait…….. In space no one can hear you blow your ram’s horn………

False alarm! :-) We now return you to your regularly scheduled skeptical frame of mind already in progress.

]]> By: Kevin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/comment-page-1/#comment-72018 Kevin Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:18:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/21/mercury-just-needs-some-rest/#comment-72018 I love seeing new pictures like that, thanks Phil. I love seeing new pictures like that, thanks Phil.

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