May 27 Learning Target: understand the similarities of Mercury and the moon Vocabulary: 1. rupes 2. regolith 3. bull’s eye crater Agenda: Notes on Mercury and the moon Projects

The next visible comet is Comet Faye. Comet Faye's last perihelion was on November 15, It reached an apparent magnitude of 9.5 during that orbit. The orbital period of Comet Faye is 7.55 years Its next perihelion will occur on May 29, During this next appearance, its apparent magnitude is expected to be around 12. The appearance of Comet Faye will come a few short months after what many expected to be one of the brightest comets in history, Comet ISON.. Because you asked……..

The three main parts of the comet: the nucleus, coma, and tail. Comets are composed of rock, dust, ice and frozen gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia. Comets contain a variety of organic compounds, some of these are methanol, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, ethanol, and ethane. Complex molecules such as long-chain hydrocarbons and amino acids may also be in comets. Because you asked……..

One unusual feature of the planet's surface is the numerous compression folds, or rupes, that crisscross the plains. As the planet's interior cooled, it may have contracted and its surface began to deform, creating these features. The folds can be seen on top of other features, such as craters and smoother plains, indicating that the folds are more recent. Mercury's surface is flexed by significant tidal bulges raised by the Sun—the Sun's tides on Mercury are about 17 times stronger than the Moon's on Earth Because you asked……..

This picture, taken by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft this spring shows the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko emitting a halo of dust and gas as it approaches the sun. Rosetta will make history later this year when it orbits and lands on the comet's surface. Comets get their coma, when the sun heats frozen gases erupting from the surface. Dust particles remain in orbit around the nucleus, and make it appear much larger. Rosetta launched in 2004 but has taken a break the last three years. ESA is activating its instruments for the final approach to the comet in August. Watch for a little history this summer

1.What is regolith? 2.The moon has large dark flat areas called ? 3.These are made out of? 4.Which is denser or Mercury or moon? 5.What formed the moon?