During the record approaching of spacecraft MESSENGER to the Mercury in the middle January, it has made 1231 pictures, including pictures of before not observed half of the planet and a set of interesting measurements.
In the middle of Caloris basin it has found out an unusual structure which has received the name “Spider”: a network from hundreds long narrow hollows with a flat bottom, going asides from the center. Near to the center there is a visible crater, however is not clear for a while, whether it has any connection to the formation of “Spider” or has been formed later.

Measurements have shown, that since the last visit more than 30 years ago, magnetic field of the planet has almost not changed and have allowed to specify its properties.

From planets of the terrestrial group only the Earth and the Mercury have magnetic fields which, apparently, are provided with properties of a liquid metal nucleus. On the other hand, small Mercury’s size should already lead to cooling and hardening of a nucleus, so the nature of its magnetic field is mysterious.

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