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Collection:
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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Southwest Mercury
Title
Southwest Mercury
Title
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Explanation:
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The planet Mercury resembles a moon. Mercury [ http://www.nineplan…]'s old surface is heavily cratered [ http://liftoff.msfc…] like many moons. Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…http://www.solarvie…] is larger than most moons but smaller than Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]'s moon Ganymede [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and Saturn [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]'s moon Titan [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Mercury is much denser and more massive than any moon, though, because it is made mostly of iron. In fact, the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is the only planet more dense. A visitor to Mercury's surface [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] would see some strange sights. Because Mercury [ http://www.oulu.fi/…] rotates exactly three times every two orbits around the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and because Mercury [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…]'s orbit is so elliptical, a visitor to Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] might see the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] rise, stop in the sky, go back toward the rising horizon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], stop again, and then set quickly over the other horizon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. From Earth, Mercury's proximity to the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] causes it to be visible only for a short time just after sunset or just before sunrise.
Explanation
The planet Mercury resembles a moon. Mercury [ http://www.nineplan…]'s old surface is heavily cratered [ http://liftoff.msfc…] like many moons. Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…http://www.solarvie…] is larger than most moons but smaller than Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]'s moon Ganymede [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and Saturn [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]'s moon Titan [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Mercury is much denser and more massive than any moon, though, because it is made mostly of iron. In fact, the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is the only planet more dense. A visitor to Mercury's surface [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] would see some strange sights. Because Mercury [ http://www.oulu.fi/…] rotates exactly three times every two orbits around the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and because Mercury [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…]'s orbit is so elliptical, a visitor to Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] might see the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] rise, stop in the sky, go back toward the rising horizon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], stop again, and then set quickly over the other horizon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. From Earth, Mercury's proximity to the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] causes it to be visible only for a short time just after sunset or just before sunrise. Explanation
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Credit and Copyright:
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Credit_and_Copyright
Credit and Copyright
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keyword:
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Solar System
keyword
Solar System
keyword
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keyword:
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Mercury
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facet_where:
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Ganymede
facet_where
Ganymede
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Mercury
facet_where
Mercury
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Saturn
facet_where
Saturn
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jupiter
facet_where
Jupiter
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
facet_where
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
facet_where
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Ganymede
facet_what
Ganymede
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mercury
facet_what
Mercury
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Saturn
facet_what
Saturn
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Jupiter
facet_what
Jupiter
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mariner
facet_what
Mariner
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mariner 10
facet_what
Mariner 10
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Titan
facet_what
Titan
facet_what
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facet_what:
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DMSP
facet_what
DMSP
facet_what
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-APOD-ap030216
UID
SPD-APOD-ap030216
UID
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