partha_malakar2001@yahoo.com
2006-12-12 22:46:30 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I beg to differ. Mecury's rotation on its own axis lasts every 58.646 Earth days. And that would be a very long day... Its revolution around the sun would take only 88 days. So basically, mercury would only have 3 "days" in every two revolution around the sun...
2006-12-12 23:00:23 · answer #1 · answered by coldflesh 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mercury's rotational period is 59 days, so I don't think it's short. However, for a long time it was believed that the rotational period was the same as its year - 88 days, so maybe by that definition... Mercury is close to the sun, so there are strong tidal forces slowing its rotation. But it's also got a relatively elongated orbit, so those tidal forces are appreciably stronger when it's closer to the sun. The end result is that Mercury's rotation is now synchronised with its orbit in the ratio of 2/3:1 rather than 1:1.
2006-12-13 07:03:50 · answer #2 · answered by Iridflare 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It takes 58 earth days to spin on its axis. However, as the year is not a whole number of days, after one spin of mercury about its axis, the sun is not in the same position in the sky. It takes 176 earth days for the sun to go from the noon position back to the noon position.
2006-12-13 07:33:49 · answer #3 · answered by Tom :: Athier than Thou 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I beg to differ with all of the answers...
Because of its slow rotation and its rapid orbital speed, one solar day on Mercury lasts about as long as 176 days on Earth.
Check out the animation at the source provided - it's pretty cool.
2006-12-13 07:05:28 · answer #4 · answered by brooks b 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Mercury is too much close to sun so shortest route in orbit.
2006-12-13 09:45:45 · answer #5 · answered by starsgirl021687 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
surely because time period of mercury's rotation on it's own axis is the shortest.
2006-12-13 08:29:45 · answer #6 · answered by juno 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
mercury is closer to the sun so thus it takes shorter to spin on its axis and move around the sun(and its small)
2006-12-13 06:50:06 · answer #7 · answered by mitch w 2 · 0⤊ 7⤋
the inhabitants of that planet are cheep bastards and won't pay for the long version!
2006-12-13 06:49:51 · answer #8 · answered by Mad Dog Johnson 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋