Thursday, April 30, 2009

Science News

Rembrandt, the second-largest impact basin on Mercury, was discovered during the Messenger spacecraft's second flyby in October 2008. Researchers are now puzzling over features found near its centre (pictured), which show a spoke-like pattern of ridges and troughs that is reportedly unlike anything else in the solar system (Image: NASA/JHUAPL/Smithsonian/Carnegie Institution of Washington)During its second flyby of Mercury, NASA's Messenger spacecraft revealed a new crater with a bizarre pattern of troughs and ridges.

Mysterious spokes found in crater on Mercury

A wind of charged particles from the sun may redden asteroids very quickly, complicating efforts to use colour as a gauge of asteroids' ages (Illustration: ESO)Asteroids don't tan gradually over time but seem to get sunburns early on, complicating efforts to gauge their ages.

Sun damage conceals asteroids' true ages

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