LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Mercury (Planet): Probes
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Mercury is too small for its gravity to retain any significant atmosphere over long periods of time; it has a tenuous atmosphere containing hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium and potassium. The atmosphere is not stable—atoms are continuously lost and replenished, from a variety of sources. Hydrogen and helium atoms probably come from the solar wind, diffusing into Mercury's magnetosphere before later escaping back into space. Radioactive decay of elements within Mercury's crust is another source of helium, as well as sodium and potassium. Water vapor is probably present, being brought to Mercury by comets impacting on its surface.
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The theory that Mercury's rotation was synchronous became widely held, and it was a significant shock to astronomers when radio observations made in the 1960s questioned this. If Mercury were tidally locked, its dark face would be extremely cold, but measurements of radio emission revealed that it was much hotter than expected. Astronomers were reluctant to drop the synchronous rotation theory and proposed alternative mechanisms such as powerful heat-distributing winds to explain the observations, but in 1965 radar observations showed conclusively that the planet's rotational period was about 59 days. Italian astronomer Giuseppe Colombo noted that this value was about two-thirds of Mercury's orbital period, and proposed that a different form of tidal locking had occurred in which the planet's orbital and rotational periods were locked into a 3:2 rather than a 1:1 resonance [19]. Data from space probes subsequently confirmed this view.
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In recent decades, the tradition of Mercury retrograde has developed into an understanding that purchases made, contracts signed and electronic objects don't work as well as they otherwise might. This is true enough to listen to. While my rational mind does not accept the fact that when a planet millions of miles away is a little closer to us, or whatever, somehow this will affect a contract I sign for a project; but based on repeated experience, I have come to accept the fact that if it can't wait three weeks, it's probably true that it wasn't worth doing in the first place.
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The European Space Agency is planning a joint mission with Japan called BepiColombo, which will orbit Mercury with two probes: one to map the planet and the other to study its magnetosphere. A RussianSoyuz rocket will launch the bus carrying the two probes in 2013. The spacecraft bus will reach Mercury in 2019. The bus will release the magnetometer probe into an elliptical orbit, then chemical rockets will fire to deposit the mapper probe into a circular orbit. Both probes will operate for a terrestrial year.
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Oregonian - Better pay some attention to the outboard motor in your life if you want it to start Stevens is among the West's largest Mercury dealers. Galbraith ... is "Boat Doc The biggest problem we see is the effect on four-stroke motors," he said
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