Mercury/Pluto

Our solar system consists of the Sun, the planets and their moon satellites, asteroids (small planets), comets, and meteorites. The planets are generally divided into two categories Earth-like (terrestrial) planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars and Giant planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Little is known about Pluto, the most remote planet from Earth. 

The density estimates in Table 7.1 show a distinction between the structures of the planets, with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all having mean densities consistent with a rocky internal structure. The Earth-like nature of their composition, orbital periods and distance from the Sun enable these to be classified as the terrestrial planets. Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus have very low densities and are simple gas giants, perhaps with a very small rocky core. Neptune and Pluto clearly contain more dense materials, perhaps a mixture of gas, rock and ice. 

J In outer space, frozen water, or ice, has been found on the moon, on planets— particularly Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Pluto—and in comets and clouds between stars in our galaxy. Recent explorations of Mars indicate that there may be liquid water underground on Mars.This means there could be microorganisms living there ... 

Mercury is an important part of the solar system puzzle, yet we know less about it than any other planet, except Pluto. Mercury is the smallest of the terrestrial planets (0.05 Earth masses) and the closest to the Sun. Its relatively high density (5.4 g cm ) indicates that it has a large metallic core (—3/4 of the planet s radius) compared to its silicate mande and crust. The existence of a magnetic field implies that the metallic core is stiU partly molten. The surface is heavily cratered like the highlands of the Moon, but some areas are smooth and less cratered, possibly like the lunar maria (but not as dark). Its surface composition, as explained in the next section, appears to be low in FeO (only —3 wt.%), which implies that either its crust is anorthositic (Jeanloz et al., 1995) or its mande is similarly low in FeO (Robinson and Taylor, 2001). 

Mercury orbits the Sun at a mean distance of 0.387 astronomical units (AU). The high eccentricity of the planet s orbit (e = 0.206), however, dictates that it can be as far as 0.467 AU away from the Sun, and as close as 0.307 AU. The high eccentricity attributed to Mercury s orbit is the second largest in the solar system, only the planet Pluto has a more eccentric orbit. (Eccentricity in astronomy indicates that an orbit is not absolutely circular. The value of e = 1 indicates an orbit shaped as a parabola. An ellipse is less than one, and a circle has zero eccentricity.)... 

Body Sun Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto... 

The solar system is sometimes divided into two parts consisting of the inner planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars—and the outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and, until recently, Pluto. One might imagine that understanding the chemical and physical properties of the inner planets would help in understanding the chemical and physical properties of the outer planets. No such luck. The two groups of planets differ from each other in some fundamental and important ways. 

Pluto is the only member of the solar system traditionally classified as a planet not to have been visited by a spacecraft from Earth. As a result, much of the information about this most distant member of the solar system is still incomplete and partially in doubt. It is smaller than any planet in the solar system, with a equatorial radius of 714 miles (1,501 km), about half the size of Mercury and 20 percent the size of Earth. Its mass is about 1.5 x 1022 kg, about 0.0024 that of Earth. Pluto s density is the higher than that of any of the outer planets, about 2.10 g/cm3. 

The chapters in this part help fill in those blanks. Chapter 8 illuminates the Moon and the Nodes of the Moon in all 12 signs. Chapters 9 and 10 discuss Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto — plus the asteroid Chiron, which was discovered in 1977 and is now routinely included in horoscopes by many astrologers. Chapter 11 talks about the Ascendant, and Chapter 12 describes the influence of the planets in each of the houses. Finally, Chapter 13 looks at the way the planets interact by analyzing the aspects, or geometrical relationships, that link them together. 

The sign that the Sun occupied at the moment of your birth is the most basic astrological fact about you. It defines your ego, motivations, needs, and approach to life. But the Sun isn t the only planet that affects you. (For astrological purposes, both luminaries — the Sun and the Moon — are called planets. Do yourself a favor and don t use this terminology when talking to astronomers.) Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, not to mention the Moon, represent distinct types of energy that express themselves in the style of the sign they re in. 

Pluto has two symbols. One is a snazzy-looking metaphysical design A small circle held within a crescent and balanced on a cross. 1 don t use this symbol because it s too easy to confuse with the glyphs of the other planets (Mercury and Neptune in particular). But many astrologers prefer it. 

It would make a world of difference. One child, bom with Gemini rising, Mercury on the Ascendant, and the Sun in the first house, is Candy Barr, the platinum-haired stripper who died in 2005. The other, born with Cancer rising, Pluto on the Ascendant, and the Sun in the twelfth house, is the Dalai Lama. This stark difference suggests how crucial the rising sign and house placements can be. They re as important as sign placements. 

I consider the planets in this order first the Sun and Moon, then the planets in order of their distance from the Sun Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. When looking up an aspect, be sure to look for it under the planet that comes first in the list. An aspect between Mercury and Uranus, for example, appears under Mercury an opposition between Venus and Pluto is discussed under Venus, and so on. 

When Pluto, the zodiac s detective, connects with quick-thinking Mercury, the combination gives you a commanding mind and the ability to concentrate. 

I don t want to suggest that Mars is the only planet that affects athletic ability. A well-placed Sun gives vitality. Mercury lends quickness. Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto confer power. Athleticism, like other talents, is an amalgamation of many factors. 

Mercury swings once around the sun every 88 days, Pluto once every 248 years. 

Geocentric model based on religious beliefs, but explains observed phenomena. Careful observations (Brahe, 9 planets eventually Kepler) point to discovered. Discovery of Heliocentric Model first Neptune confirms Newton s suggested by Copernicus. theory of universal Telescope confirms model. gravitation. Anomaly in orbit of Mercury resists solution with Newton s laws. Precession of Mercury s orbit is solved by Einstein s Theory of General Relativity. Theory and observations agree. Pluto is demoted to non-planet status (4). 

The geocentric Ptolemaic system was superseded by the heliocentric system of Copernicus (1473-1543) principally owing to the work of Galileo, Kepler, and Newton in the seventeenth century. The planets are now known to revolve about the sun in elliptical orbits of small eccentricity at the following mean distances (in millions of miles)—Mercury, 36 . Venus, 67-2 Earth, 92-9 Mars, 141 5 Jupiter, 483 3 Saturn, 886 1 Uranus, 1783 Neptune, 2793 Pluto, 3666. 

---