Comments on: SPECIAL POST: The Flight of MESSENGER to Mercury: Live Web 2.0 Coverage of the Final Flyby on September 29, 2009

By: Cortni

Cortni — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:07:31 +0000

Thank you, but I have another question:
Are you a really a professor ? Is Venus really the hottest planet? My friends keep telling me it’s Mercury, but I think i’m right. Could you please tell me which one is correct?

By: DrJeff

DrJeff — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:53:54 +0000

Hi Cortni! The temperature on Mercury is extreme, ranging from -300 degrees F to 840 degrees F. And it has no atmosphere. It cannot support life as we know it. And we have no clue about the nature or characteristics of life beyond what we know on Earth.

By: Cortni

Cortni — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:14:36 +0000

I’m a student at a middle school. I was wondering if Mercury were to possibly have life on it, what forms of life would be there?

By: planetjohn

planetjohn — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:45:28 +0000

i wonder what the photos are going to look like?????

By: planetjohn

planetjohn — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:43:15 +0000

Cant wait, under 15 min left!

By: DrJeff

DrJeff — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:31:01 +0000

Hi Ben,
Yes that’s us, but superimposed at the correct location in space. Read my write-up on the “story behind this image.” The link is in the Photo Caption just beneath the photo. And DEFINITELY click on the photo to see it in large format. Pretty stunning.

By: Benjamin Brooks

Benjamin Brooks — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:08:59 +0000

Hi Jeff,

One quick question, in the photo at top, is that “pale blue dot” us? …..(ahhh how I miss Mr Sagan)

or is it some form of photographic effect/anomaly?

Ben