Two spacecraft have visited Mercury: Mariner 10 flew by in 1974 and 1975; and MESSENGER, launched in 2004, orbited Mercury over 4,000 times in four years before exhausting its fuel and crashing into the planet’s surface on April 30, 2015. The BepiColombo spacecraft is planned to arrive at Mercury in 2025.
Actually, Mercury is the closest planet to the earth more than any other. Surprising, yes — for more info see this “More or Less” episode on the BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001y9p What % of time is Mercury the closest planet to Earth? 46%. Venus: 36% Mars: 18%
WoodEye over 5 years ago
You can always count on her!
Mac.the.Knife Premium Member over 5 years ago
Mooks. It just reeks Amelia!
pam over 5 years ago
And here come the cops.
colcam over 5 years ago
But we still have not landed a “Mercury Discoverer” to expand our information during the very short period a surface probe would survive.
crookedwolf Premium Member over 5 years ago
Get those kids a telescope!
Happy, happy, happy!!! Premium Member over 5 years ago
Have i ever mentioned that i kinda like her? :D
SwimsWithSharks over 5 years ago
This strip needs a science director.
DCBakerEsq over 5 years ago
Fireworks make everything better. Even boring office meetings.
cooganm Premium Member over 5 years ago
Is “mooks” still a thing?
Teto85 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Two spacecraft have visited Mercury: Mariner 10 flew by in 1974 and 1975; and MESSENGER, launched in 2004, orbited Mercury over 4,000 times in four years before exhausting its fuel and crashing into the planet’s surface on April 30, 2015. The BepiColombo spacecraft is planned to arrive at Mercury in 2025.
ZBicyclist Premium Member over 5 years ago
Actually, Mercury is the closest planet to the earth more than any other. Surprising, yes — for more info see this “More or Less” episode on the BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001y9p What % of time is Mercury the closest planet to Earth? 46%. Venus: 36% Mars: 18%
mr.farkel over 5 years ago
And, in Whoville they say, Amelia’s small character grew three sizes that day.