If Mercury is the closest planet to the sun is it ever night time? If we landed on it would it be sunny ? or would it have black sky like mars?
2007-01-03 22:18:40 · 13 answers · asked by ms_jaffa_cake 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I am asking a genuine question why am i a b i t c h you retard
2007-01-03 22:31:32 · update #1
Mercury spins on its axis so slowly( it takes 58days as opposed to earth's 24 hours) and revolves around the sun so quickly(87 days as opposed to earth's 365 days) that one side is almost always facing the sun (day) and the other is shielded from the sun (night).The result is one half of mercury is in(almost) perpetual sunshine and is very hot( +350C) whereas the other half is in(almost) perpetual darkness and very cold (-170C).
2007-01-04 04:26:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is only in one part of the planet that is always daytime while the other part is nighttime for eternity.
Explanation:
For many years it was thought that Mercury was synchronously tidally locked with the Sun, rotating once for each orbit and keeping the same face directed towards the Sun at all times, in the same way that the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth. However, radar observations in 1965 proved that the planet has a 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, rotating three times for every two revolutions around the Sun; the eccentricity of Mercury's orbit makes this resonance stable. The original reason astronomers thought it was synchronously locked was because whenever Mercury was best placed for observation, it was always at the same point in its 3:2 resonance, hence showing the same face. Due to Mercury's 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, a solar day (the length between two meridian transits of the Sun) lasts about 176 Earth days. A sidereal day (the period of rotation) lasts about 58.7 Earth days.
2007-01-04 03:00:30 · answer #2 · answered by jov04sh 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Venus is easily visible in daytime, near elongation; I've done it often. Under ideal conditions, it is possible to see Jupiter "naked-eye" in daytime - but I have done it only twice in my whole life. Mercury, not naked eye. Not even near elongation (when it is furthest from the Sun). However, with a telescope (and by being very careful when observing that close to the Sun), yes Mercury can be seen during the day, if you know where to look. When it passes directly in front, it will be seen as a small dot. I use a 80-mm aperture refractor (a 3-inch diameter, lens telescope) with a full-aperture solar filter that blocks the light of the Sun before it enters the telescope. I also made a cardboard "mask" that fits over the barrel of the telescope so that I don't accidentally look at the Sun when I move my eye away from the eyepiece. However, the dot is very small. When Mercury is close to conjunction on this side of the Sun, but not in transit, it cannot be seen. If Mercury is close to conjunction, on the other side of the Sun, but not hidden behind the Sun, then yes, it is visible with larger telescopes (with even more protection). I have a friend who likes to photograph planets as close to conjunction as possible, so I know it is possible to do that (but I have not done it).
2016-03-29 07:08:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, since only half of the planet can be facing the sun at a time, Mercury has both day and night.
2007-01-04 03:06:17 · answer #4 · answered by Darth Vader 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mercury is tidally locked with the Sun. The same side always faces the Sun just as the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth.
On the Sun side of Mercury you have perpetual daylight. On the other side you have perpetual night.
2007-01-03 22:22:31 · answer #5 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
1/2 of the planet at any given time is exposed to sunlight. that side is molten due to the proximity of the sun.
the other side that is not molten is a rock. a very very cold rock without atmosphere. there is no 'sky' but a view of space. the planet does spin quickly.
look at www.space.com and do a search for mercury articles to find out more details than my spotty memory can provide you.
2007-01-03 22:25:25 · answer #6 · answered by matt_of_asia 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No, Mercury's "year" is about 88 earth days and its "day" is about 58.6 earth days, so even though the days are very long, all of Mercury does get sunlight eventually.
2007-01-03 23:34:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ye i think mercury is always tidally locked with the sun. Just like us with our moon, we always see the same side.
2007-01-03 23:17:33 · answer #8 · answered by manc1999 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. The part facing away from the sun would be dark.
2007-01-03 22:27:30 · answer #9 · answered by ZZ K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
on one side, it is always daytime
on the other, there is always night
[as the rotational period of mercury=the revolutional period]
it depends on the part at which we land
2007-01-03 22:30:53 · answer #10 · answered by Vaibhav Mittal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋