Mercury's Shrink Cliffs

MERCURY · the planet that got smaller

CLIFFS hundreds of km long, up to 3 km highCAUSE a cooling, contracting planet

Mercury is shrinking. As its huge iron core slowly cools and contracts, the crust wrinkles like the skin of a drying apple, thrusting up gigantic cliffs that slice across craters and plains alike. The planet has lost several kilometers of diameter over its history, and young looking scarps hint it may still be shrinking today.

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Ophiuchus, the 13th sign Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302)The Jewel Box (NGC 4755)Cygnus, the Swan Sagittarius, the Archer The Sagittarius-Carina Arm All objects in the library