Mercury (also known as Sol I) was the first planet of the Sol system. This lifeless terrestrial planet had no moons.
Location
In the late 19th century, the orbit of Mercury was depicted on a German map of the inner system. (Star Trek: Enterprise, opening credits)
Published in 1990, The Solar System poster was a reference, with a description of the Sol system's origins, planetary data on its nine planets, and brief descriptive comments on the minor bodies, for students and astronomers. The poster included a large illustration of the system that depicted the orbital path of Mercury. This poster was displayed on a wall in the office where Rain Robinson worked, at the Griffith Observatory. (VOY: "Future's End") The poster was also featured on the wall of the classroom on Deep Space 9 in 2370. (DS9: "Cardassians")
In 2254, the orbit of Mercury was depicted on a map of the inner system, which was stored in the USS Enterprise library computer. This was one of the records scanned by the Talosians. (TOS: "The Cage", production art)
In 2267, the orbit of Mercury was depicted on Chart 14A: The Sol System, which was stored in the Enterprise library computer. This chart was scanned by the probe Nomad in Auxiliary Control. (TOS: "The Changeling", production art)
History
Before the invention of the telescope, Humans discovered Mercury in the night sky. This planet was explored by unmanned NASA spacecraft in the 22 years that followed the launch of Sputnik in 1957. (TNG: "Loud As A Whisper", okudagram)
In 1969, the USS Enterprise passed Mercury as it attempted a slingshot effect around Sol in an effort at returning to 2267. When the Enterprise passed this innermost planet, the gravitational pull of the star increased. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday")
Mercury was featured in an amusing story a holographic Doctor Stephen Hawking told his holographic poker partners Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton and Data. He said that "in that frame of reference the perihelion of Mercury would have precessed in the opposite direction!" Albert Einstein found this "a great story"; Sir Isaac Newton, however, did not understand the joke. (TNG: "Descent")
In the The Adventures of Captain Proton holoprogram series, Mercury was controlled by Doctor Chaotica. When he tried to conquer Earth, he claimed that those who oppose him "will face a dire fate as slaves in the mines of Mercury." (VOY: "Bride of Chaotica!")
Template:SolSystem
External links
- Template:NCwiki
- Mercury (planet) at Wikipedia