An article by the Associated Press describes how a NASA spacecraft is now circling Mercury. This article was about one of NASA's spacecraft called the Messenger. The spacecraft has gotten so close to the planet Mercury, that it is 120 miles above the planet's surface. This is a difficult planet to get to. Its temperatures get up to 800 degrees. In the 1970s, NASA sent the spacecraft called, Mariner, to Mercury. They were only able to obtain pictures of the planet. Next month it is expected that the spacecraft, Messenger, will begin taking pictures and investigating the magnetic fluid and unused density of the planet. This is the closest we have come to Mercury.
Associated Press. "NASA Spacecraft Now Circling Mercury." The New York Times. 17 Mar. 2011. Web.
<http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/03/17/science/AP-US-SCI-Mercury.html?_r=l&re>
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