Mercury found to have comet-like appearance by satellites looking at sun
INFORMATION:
Research in Boston University’s Center for Space Physics involves interdisciplinary projects between members of the Astronomy Department in the College of Arts and Sciences and faculty, staff and students in the College of Engineering. Research areas include observational and theoretical studies in atmospheric, ionospheric and magnetospheric physics, planetary and cometary atmospheres, solar and heliospheric physics, and space weather.
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized private research university with more than 30,000 students participating in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. As Boston University’s largest academic division, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is the heart of the BU experience, creating an extensive global reach that enhances the University’s reputation for teaching and research.
IMAGES
Figure 1: Image shows examples of the very long tails of sodium escaping from Mercury. These images were taken at the Boston University Station at the McDonald Observatory, run by the University of Texas in Austin. Reference: Orbital Effects on Mercury's Escaping Sodium Exosphere, Carl Schmidt, Jody Wilson, Jeffrey Baumgardner and Michael Mendillo, ICARUS, 2010.
Figure 2: A schematic representation of the viewing geometry that allows the STEREO camera systems to make observations of Mercury's tail.
Figure 3: An image of Mercury's tail obtained from combining a full day of data from a camera aboard the STEREO-A spacecraft. The reflected sunlight off the planet's surface results in a type of over-exposure that causes Mercury to appear much larger than its actual size. The tail-like structure extending anti-sunward from the planet is visible over several days and spans an angular size exceeding that of a full Moon in the night sky.
Figure 4: A movie showing a 4 day period when Mercury tail was visible from the STEREO A spacecraft on 6-9 February 2008.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Boston University Center For Space Physics
Research in Boston University's Center for Space Physics involves interdisciplinary projects between members of the Astronomy Department in the College of Arts and Sciences and faculty, staff and students in the College of Engineering. Research areas include observational and theoretical studies in atmospheric, ionospheric and magnetospheric physics, planetary and cometary atmospheres, solar and heliospheric physics, and space weather.
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest independent university in the United States. It contains 17 colleges and schools along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes which are central to the university's research and teaching mission
European Planetary Science Congress (Epsc) 2010
EPSC 2010 is organised by Europlanet, a Research Infrastructure funded under the European Commission's Framework 7 Programme, in association with the European Geosciences Union, with the support of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and the INAF Institute of Physics of Interplanetary Science (IFSI) in Rome. EPSC is the major meeting in Europe for planetary scientists. The 2010 programme comprises 48 sessions and workshops covering a wide range of planetary topics.
EPSC 2010 is taking place at the Angelicum Center – Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome, Italy from Sunday 19 September to Friday 24 September 2010.
For further details, see the meeting website: http://meetings.copernicus.org/epsc2010/
Europlanet Research Infrastructure (RI)
Europlanet Research RI is a major (€6 million) programme co-funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission.
Europlanet RI brings together the European planetary science community through a range of Networking Activities, aimed at fostering a culture of cooperation in the field of planetary sciences, Transnational Access Activities, providing European researchers with access to a range of laboratory and field site facilities tailored to the needs of planetary research, as well as on-line access to the available planetary science data, information and software tools, through the Integrated and Distributed Information Service. These programmes are underpinned by Joint Research Activities, which are developing and improving the facilities, models, software tools and services offered by Europlanet.
Europlanet Project website: http://www.europlanet-ri.eu/
Europlanet Outreach/Media website: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/
CONTACTS
Michael Mendillo, professor of astronomy
Center for Space Physics, Boston University
Phone: +39 06 4891 3093
Email: mendillo@bu.edu
Carl Schmidt, graduate researcher
Center for Space Physics, Boston University
Phone: +1 617 353-5990
E-mail: schmidtc@bu.edu
Patrick Farrell, Communications Director
College of Arts & Sciences, Boston University
Phone: +1 617 358-1185; cell: +1 617-543-6480
E-mail: pmfarrel@bu.edu
Eleni Chatzichristou
Europlanet Press Officer
Phone: +30 697 2235681
E-mail: eleni.chatzichristou@europlanet-eu.org
Anita Heward
Europlanet Press Officer
E-mail : anita.heward@europlanet-eu.org
Livia Giacomini
INAF contact at Europlanet Press Office
E-mail: livia.giacomini@ifsi-roma.inaf.it