Category: Astronomy

• The Smallest Planet Has a New Satellite

  Yesterday (March 17, 2011), the MESSENGER spacecraft became the first to orbit Mercury. Based on what I’ve seen, it was a nearly perfect orbit insertion. With so many things that can go wrong—and absolutely no way to intervene from so great a distance—this is a remarkable feat. I’m unabashedly a fan of robotic exploration, and…

  Matthew R. Francis

  March 18, 2011

  Astronomy, Astronomy, Physics, and Related Fields

  Astronomy