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The Mercury The arrow (箭头记号) shows how slowly Mercury [ `m[:kjuri ] spins (旋转)-- on its axis (轴). It turns only one and a half times in the single orbit (轨道) of the Sun, results in its crazy of calendar (年、月的混乱). It means Mercury's dayis twice as long as its year; the day lasts 176 Earth's days, the year just 88. It would be strange if you stood on Mercury. You would see the Sun apparently (表面上) shrinking (缩小) in the sky. It has to do with (和…有关) the variable (可变的) distance of the sun. For the planet has an elliptical (椭圆形的) orbit, the sun appears large when Mercury swings (旋转) close, far away and it's half the size. And there is also a welter (起伏) effect (效果): each time it passes close to the Sun, Mercury speeds up, then slows again. The result on the planet is the double sunrise. The proximity (接近) of the sun means Mercury is hot. At midday on the equator (赤道) it can heat 430℃. The planet has a temperature range (范围) of 600 degree, the greatest in the solar system; At midnight on the dark side it can be as cold as -170℃. Even so, it's surprising that some astronomers (天文学家) believe that there's ice on Mercury -- ice permanently (永久) sheltered (受庇护的) from the scorch (灼热) of the Sun. ***** Proverb ***** Unit Humor I Can't Remember Where I Live An elderly man was sitting on a park bench in tears. A police officer came up and asked him what was wrong. "I have a 25-year-old wife at home. She is beautiful, charming and madly in love with me." "So, what is the problem?" |