February Meeting - Prof. David Rothery
Our next monthly meeting is on Thursday, 6th February 2020 at 7:30pm.
Mercury and its geology
Mercury is the Solar System's smallest rocky planet, but the only one other than Earth to generate it's own magnetic field.
It has a very large iron core, the outer part of which is fluid, overlain by a relatively thin silicate mantle & crust.
This is probably a result of much of the body's original crust & mantle having been stripped away in a collision. Despite this, the present crust is comparatively rich in volatile elements. These Lubricate tectonics (driven by global thermal contraction), & have enabled explosive volcanism to continue after the effusive volcanism that formed most of the crust waned. On-going, non-explosive, volatile loss is demonstrated by "moth-eaten" patches of ground called hollows.
Prof. David Rothery
Visitors are most welcome to attend. We charge just £5 (£4 Junior/Student guests) per meeting to help cover the cost of the room hire.
For more details of the meeting location go to the meetings page.
If you have questions about astronomy, choosing and using telescopes and other equipment, John Evans may be able to help here –
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| John Axtell has a forty minute, once a month, programme on Brooklands Radio. Details of which and a link to John’s podcast can be seen on our | Matt’s Books of the Month
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