Photo mosaic of Mercury’s north pole shows water ice. (©NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington )

NASA spacecraft discovers ice on scorching-hot Mercury

11/30/2012

Hey, everyone, ready to grab your ice skates and come join us for a fun jaunt on Mercury? We are. But wait, isn't Mercury, the planet closest to the sun a whopping 800 degrees Fahrenheit? Yes, it is, but scientists have discovered water ice near the planet's north pole, an area that is permanently shielded from the sun's heat. Scientists have long been scouring the universe for signs of water as it likely holds the key to various forms of life. The presence of water on Mercury has been speculated for more than 20 years, and NASA hopes to get a better look at the planet as its Messenger spacecraft continues to orbit. [Source]

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