Water Ice at Poles of Mercury!

Researchers studying data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft have found signs of water ice and frozen organic matter in permanently shadowed craters at the north pole of Mercury, confirming observations by ground-based telescopes over the past 20 years. These observations are surprising due to the extreme daytime temperatures on the planet, which is the closest to the Sun in the solar system. Scientists believe that the ice and organics come from comets and asteroids which crashed into the planet early in its history.

For more information on this discovery, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/media/PressConf20121129.html.


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