By Ron Cowen
Mercury, the solar system’s forgotten planet, is finally getting its place in the sun.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/8288.jpg?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1)
![The MESSENGER spacecraft flies past Mercury twice, revealing the origin of the planet’s magnetic field, hinting at the presence of early volcanic activity and providing the first looks at the planet’s surface composition](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/8298.jpg?resize=300%2C256&ssl=1)
An analysis of data collected during the January flyby of the spacecraft MESSENGER — which will begin a year-long orbit of Mercury in 2011 — has revealed the origin of the planet’s magnetic field, discovered evidence of early volcanic activity and provided a first look at the planet’s surface composition.
Researchers describe their findings in the July 4 Science.