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Is water available on Mercury?
But you might be surprised to know that astronomers have discovered water on Mercury. Not liquid water, but deposits of water ice at the planet’s poles. This is because there are craters at the north and south poles of Mercury which are eternally in shadow. So there is water on Mercury, just not very much.
How can ice exist on Mercury?
Because Mercury does not have a substantial atmosphere to transport heat around the planet, the darkness allows ice to remain frozen despite the extreme temperatures of the tiny world.
Has ice been found on Mercury?
Mercury is not alone in having ice on its surface, as water ice has also been discovered on the moon and on small worlds such as asteroids and comets. These locations may have variations in water deposition, however.
Does Mercury have a source of water on this planet?
Mercury may have water ice at its north and south poles inside deep craters, but only in regions of permanent shadow . There it could be cold enough to preserve water ice despite the high temperatures on sunlit parts of the planet.
What is the weather like on Mercury?
What is the weather like on Mercury? Since Mercury has hardly any atmosphere, it does not have weather like storms, clouds, winds or rain . Its surface temperature can reach 801 Fahrenheit during the day (because it is so close to the Sun) and can drop to -279 Fahrenheit at night (because there is no atmosphere to trap the daytime heat).
Does Mercury have water ice at its poles?
A Nasa spacecraft has found further tantalising evidence for the existence of water ice at Mercury’s poles. Though surface temperatures can soar above 400C, some craters at Mercury’s poles are permanently in shadow, turning them into so-called cold traps.
What is the presence of water for Mercury?
Any water on the surface of Mercury would boil away quickly and escape into space because of Mercury’s low gravity, and the constantly blowing solar wind. But you might be surprised to know that astronomers have discovered water on Mercury. Not liquid water, but deposits of water ice at the planet’s poles.