The U.S. Messenger spacecraft has flown its first successful fly-by of the planet Mercury. Messenger, which stands for Mercury Surface Space-Environment Geochemistry and Ranging, will perform the most detailed survey of the closest planet to the Sun. Already having flown by Venus, which is between Earth and Mercury, the spacecraft is now training its instruments on the final destination--orbit around Mercury in 2011, just in time to observing the effects of the peak sunspot season.
Heavy weather: Solar storms expected to disrupt Earth comms
Visible light from planet observed orbiting distant star
Balloon launches biggest solar telescope