Science Alert
By Michelle Starr
July 19, 2023
A probe sent to study the sadly neglected innermost planet of the Solar System has finally revealed auroral processes that take place in spite of a practically nonexistent atmosphere.
In October 2021, the BepiColombo probe took measurements of electrons and ions at Mercury, finding evidence of their acceleration. Analysis showed that this was the result of auroral processes involving Mercury’s magnetic field, ultimately producing a faint X-ray emission.