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The phase curve of Venus [15] compared to Mercury, [1] and the brightness excess of Venus.. The relatively flat phase curve of Venus is characteristic of a cloudy planet. [14] In contrast to Mercury where the curve is strongly peaked approaching phase angle zero (full phase) that of Venus is rounded.
A planetary phase is a certain portion of a planet's area that reflects sunlight as viewed from a given vantage point, as well as the period of time during which it occurs. The phase is determined by the phase angle , which is the angle between the planet, the Sun and the Earth.
A typical phase diagram.The solid green line applies to most substances; the dashed green line gives the anomalous behavior of water. In thermodynamics, the triple point of a substance is the temperature and pressure at which the three phases (gas, liquid, and solid) of that substance coexist in thermodynamic equilibrium. [1]
Mercury is one of four terrestrial planets in the Solar System, which means it is a rocky body like Earth. It is the smallest planet in the Solar System, with an equatorial radius of 2,439.7 kilometres (1,516.0 mi). [4] Mercury is also smaller—albeit more massive—than the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, Ganymede and Titan.
planet Mercury: seen from Earth maximum brightness at superior conjunction (unlike Venus, Mercury is at its brightest when on the far side of the Sun, the reason being their different phase curves) [42] −2.20: planet Jupiter: seen from Earth mean brightness [42] −1.66: planet Jupiter: seen from Earth minimum brightness [42] −1.47: star ...
The brightness of an object is a function of the phase angle, which is generally smooth, except for the so-called opposition spike near 0°, which does not affect gas giants or bodies with pronounced atmospheres, and when the object becomes fainter as the angle approaches 180°. This relationship is referred to as the phase curve.
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The mercury cycle is a biogeochemical cycle influenced by natural and anthropogenic processes that transform mercury through multiple chemical forms and environments. Mercury is present in the Earth's crust and in various forms on the Earth's surface.