Thirsty? Let's go out for a cool drink of water.

POPASMOKE

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There Really Are Snowballs in Hell; Well Sorta

Scientists with NASA's Messenger mission have announced that they've confirmed the existence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters near Mercury's poles.
Today three teams of planetary scientists announced a truly amazing result, something I've been hoping to hear for more than 20 years and expected to hear about 8 months ago. The hellish planet Mercury harbors substantial amounts of water ice — ice! — on the walls and floors of craters near its poles that are never exposed to sunlight.

This stunning revelation is detailed in a trio of reports published online today in Science Express. All are based on results from NASA's Messenger spacecraft, which has been orbiting the innermost planet for about 1½ years.
The universe never ceases to amaze me.
 

Diana Hignutt

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Water Ice Discovered on Mercury

It's time to add Mercury to the list of worlds where you can go ice-skating. Confirming decades of suspicion, a NASA spacecraft has spotted vast deposits of water ice on the planet closest to the sun.

Temperatures on Mercury can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius), but around the north pole, in areas permanently shielded from the sun's heat, NASA's Messenger spacecraft found a mix of frozen water and possible organic materials.

http://www.space.com/18687-water-ice-mercury-messager-discovery.html

Water, water, everywhere...

Though, I do enjoy my reputation as a Luddite, and as a Champion against Scientific Materialism, I actually love science and new discoveries. I'm a big fan of the scientific method. And space fascinates me endlessly. We live in exciting times, where we get to learn so much, and that is thanks to science. Hooray for Science!

I wonder where there isn't any water? Anywhere?
 

Diana Hignutt

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Sorry, I just posted this on another thread, too...

Titles, people, titles...
 

Ken

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... neat. Never would have suspected so with the planet so close to the Sun. Even if it is shady at the poles all the time, you'd still think it'd be hot, or at least warm enough so ice couldn't form.
 

Diana Hignutt

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Personally, I think my thread title was the only one that gave an actual hint as to the subject matter...just sayin'... but it's a good merge...
 

Ambrosia

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Maybe the addition of "--on Mercury" to the end of the title would benefit?

Just a suggestion.

I wonder if the substance on Mercury that is being identified as water might be something else entirely that gives similar reflections as water but is less likely to be evaporated. Perhaps something new and unknown to scientists? It seems odd to me that a planet as hot as Mercury would be able to keep any amount of water, even on the side away from the sun, whether it is being shielded by 4 inches of possibly organic material or not.

Likely if I were a trained scientist I wouldn't find the concept odd at all. :tongue
 

Vince524

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I struggle with the choice of thread titles. Should I use one that is catchy, quirky and/or delivers an emotional impact? The emotion being amusement, outrage, anger, bemusement or what have you) or just a plain, fact based title that leaves little to the imagination, but accurately reflects the intent of the thread.

It seems like the difference between the title of an episode of the original Star Trek (City on the Edge of Forever, Let that be you last battleground) or something from Star Trek: The Next Generation. (The Survivors, The Outcast, The Enemy.)

Usually, I choose to go with the title that doesn't give away the entire thread purpose from the get go. It's the writer in me, not wanting to give away the big reveal.

I aspire to be both witty and thought provoking, but I'm aware that often times I am neither and perhaps I come across more as inarticulate or as my wife would say, "A pain in the ass." (Ah, love.)

It is an ongoing inner dialogue (Or would that be monologue?) that keeps me up at nights, seeking counsel from many, only to usually succumb to my instincts.

Please forgive me, for I know I am a sinner and I beg your tolerance.

But really, water on Mercury, who knew?

Hope we're all cool.
 

Diana Hignutt

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I struggle with the choice of thread titles. Should I use one that is catchy, quirky and/or delivers an emotional impact? The emotion being amusement, outrage, anger, bemusement or what have you) or just a plain, fact based title that leaves little to the imagination, but accurately reflects the intent of the thread.

It seems like the difference between the title of an episode of the original Star Trek (City on the Edge of Forever, Let that be you last battleground) or something from Star Trek: The Next Generation. (The Survivors, The Outcast, The Enemy.)

Usually, I choose to go with the title that doesn't give away the entire thread purpose from the get go. It's the writer in me, not wanting to give away the big reveal.

I aspire to be both witty and thought provoking, but I'm aware that often times I am neither and perhaps I come across more as inarticulate or as my wife would say, "A pain in the ass." (Ah, love.)

It is an ongoing inner dialogue (Or would that be monologue?) that keeps me up at nights, seeking counsel from many, only to usually succumb to my instincts.

Please forgive me, for I know I am a sinner and I beg your tolerance.

But really, water on Mercury, who knew?

Hope we're all cool.

We were never not all cool...
 

blacbird

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... neat. Never would have suspected so with the planet so close to the Sun. Even if it is shady at the poles all the time, you'd still think it'd be hot, or at least warm enough so ice couldn't form.

No atmosphere to retain and distribute heat. Mercury is hot where the sun shines on it, brutally cold where it doesn't. The heat doesn't come directly from the sunlight, but rather from the effect that sunlight has on absorptive surfaces, which then re-radiate infrared. This is why your car metal gets scorching-hot in summer sunlight, and cools off quickly in darkness. Without the sunlight, no infrared to re-radiate.

Our moon has similar features at its poles, deep permanently shaded craters.

caw
 

lastlittlebird

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I like quirky titles as long as it's clear from the first line what's going on, since I usually do a cursor hover before clicking.

And this news made me happy. Need to start sharpening my ice skates. And, erm, polishing my thermal suit?
 

Ken

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No atmosphere to retain and distribute heat. Mercury is hot where the sun shines on it, brutally cold where it doesn't. The heat doesn't come directly from the sunlight, but rather from the effect that sunlight has on absorptive surfaces, which then re-radiate infrared. This is why your car metal gets scorching-hot in summer sunlight, and cools off quickly in darkness. Without the sunlight, no infrared to re-radiate.

Our moon has similar features at its poles, deep permanently shaded craters.

caw

... very interesting. Something I never considered. Wasn't aware things worked like that, on a planetary scale at least. Mercury not having an atmosphere is in a way a blessing, or mixed one.

ps diana and vince.

your threads are usually engaging and get lots of participation.
that's the important thing and is why members click on your threads.
the titles aren't so important as such.
 

Vince524

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ps diana and vince.

your threads are usually engaging and get lots of participation.
that's the important thing and is why members click on your threads.
the titles aren't so important as such.

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