Why do they not have an atmosphere...?? Is there a logical reason?
2007-03-12 05:24:42 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Pluto does have an atmosphere -- at least during its summer. It's ices melt any turn into a gas that is gradually lost to space because of its weak gravity. What is left of its atmosphere turns to frost during its winter.
Mercury has a slight atmosphere of helium, but is too small (it gravity is too weak) to keep any atmosphere -- especially since heat from the sun combined with the sun's magnetic field boils away any gases.
2007-03-12 05:38:13 · answer #1 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd be careful about folks declaring that Mercury (especially) is too small to gravitationally hold onto an atmosphere. Titan isn't much bigger than Mercury and it has an atmosphere twice as dense as Earth's.
Nay, wrt to Mercury, it has far more to do with the harsh solar environment and that it never developed a significant atmosphere in the first place.
As for Pluto, the extreme cold is probably the biggest factor. Most atmospheric gases actually freeze out at such low temps.
2007-03-12 06:09:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you have to take into consideration that Pluto really is to cold and doesn't have the gravitional pull to keep an atmosphere. As for Mercury it is to close to the sun which in turn the gases are burned and evaporated which produces no atmosphere.
2007-03-12 06:02:23 · answer #3 · answered by Lighting Bolt 7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK pluto is no longer a planet nasa said! they say it is a moon or something like that ???? anyways DUH THERE PLANETS THE HAVE NO ATMOSPHERE??? but i once had water on them until global warming happen on all of those planets?:( we are next:(
2007-03-12 07:16:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋