Is Mercury the Incredible Shrinking Planet? MESSENGER Spacecraft May Find Out

With a new spacecraft bound for Mercury, that tiny planet near the heart of the solar system, researchers are hoping to solve a slew of riddles about the small world.

Among the odder Mercurian attributes scientists hope to test is a theory that the planet is shrinking, contracting in on itself as its core slowly freezes.

"It's a pretty cool thing," said Mark Robinson, a Northwestern University researcher, of Mercury's slow contraction. "When I first heard it, I thought it was weird."

www.space.com...

Interesting.. Did not know that a planet could actually shrink. Apparently the core of the planet is collapsing, which is causing it to shrink.

Originally posted by Korwatt

With a new spacecraft bound for Mercury, that tiny planet near the heart of the solar system, researchers are hoping to solve a slew of riddles about the small world.

Among the odder Mercurian attributes scientists hope to test is a theory that the planet is shrinking, contracting in on itself as its core slowly freezes.

"It's a pretty cool thing," said Mark Robinson, a Northwestern University researcher, of Mercury's slow contraction. "When I first heard it, I thought it was weird."

www.space.com...

Interesting.. Did not know that a planet could actually shrink. Apparently the core of the planet is collapsing, which is causing it to shrink.

Do planets implode like stars when they collaps upon themselves? The reason I am asking is earth would be in the blast range if Mercury exploded wouldnt it?

Do planets implode like stars when they collaps upon themselves? The reason I am asking is earth would be in the blast range if Mercury exploded wouldnt it?

They don't realease nearly as much energy as a star does, and they don't implode. Even if Mercury did, it probably wouldn't hit the earth sinse they orbit at different rates.

And I believe this was posted before.

Originally posted by VirusClock

Do planets implode like stars when they collaps upon themselves? The reason I am asking is earth would be in the blast range if Mercury exploded wouldnt it?

They don't realease nearly as much energy as a star does, and they don't implode. Even if Mercury did, it probably wouldn't hit the earth sinse they orbit at different rates.

And I believe this was posted before.

Do you think if this happens that metorites from Mercury's explosion would be a danger? I kinow its a small planet, but even something the size of Rhode Island is enough to cause tremendous damage to the Earth. Also, does anyone know the rate of the decrease in the planets mass?

Mercury is shrinking??? Very interesting. How could the core collapse? Perhaps metal melts inside, and gets sucked into the Sun?

Originally posted by Kidfinger
Do you think if this happens that metorites from Mercury's explosion would be a danger? I kinow its a small planet, but even something the size of Rhode Island is enough to cause tremendous damage to the Earth. Also, does anyone know the rate of the decrease in the planets mass?

You watch too many movies. Planets don't blow up like they do in movies. If the core was to collapse rapidly and the planet somehow broke off, the parts wouldn't go flying off they would stay in orbit. Just like how Uranus, Neptune and Saturn got their rings. If the planet shinks it doesn't mean it looses mass. Jupiter might be enormous but it is very light.

So what happens to the debries then? Would there just be a small astroid belt in Mercury's orbit? Im not an astronomist, so I have no Idea what happen when the core of a planet dies. And yes, your right, I do watch to many movies.

Originally posted by Istvan
Mercury is shrinking??? Very interesting. How could the core collapse? Perhaps metal melts inside, and gets sucked into the Sun?

Yeah, all data suggest it has very big iron core, in fact compared to planet size it should be biggest.

Those cracks in surface are very propably from time after planet formed.