Myths about Mercury

Here are two stories about Mercury, one of the gods in the Roman pantheon. Mercury was identified with the Greek god Hermes.
<a href="/mythology/Definitions_gods/Mercury_def.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Mercury</a> was the messenger-god of <a href="/mythology/Definitions_gods/Jupiter_def.html&edu=elem&dev=1">Jupiter</a>, and was the god of games, of business, and of story telling. Painting by Diego Velazquez (1570) entitled "Mercury and Argos."<p><small><em>Courtesy of the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain.</em></small></p>

Explore Myths about Mercury

Roman: Mercury

Mercury was the messenger-god of Jupiter, and was the god of games, of business, and of story ...Read more

Roman: Mercury and the Birth of Bacchus

Mercury was popular among the gods because he was playful, innocent, and helpful. Mercury ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Norse: Sif

One of the volcanoes on the planet of Venus is named after the Norse goddess Sif. Most of the ...Read more

Roman: Venus

Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. To the perfection of her figure and the purity of ...Read more

Maya: Kukulcan

The ancient Mayans used the doorways and windows of their buildings to look at things in space. ...Read more

Roman: Mars

Ares was the Greek god of war, always acting and thinking like a warrior. Mars was identified ...Read more

Hindu: Mangala

In Hinduism, the major Indian religion, the planet Mars, called Mangala, is identified with ...Read more

Maya: Mars

Mayans were sophisticated observers of the sky. Mayans used their astronomical knowledge to ...Read more

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that Earth is the largest and densest rocky planet in the solar system?

Do you know why earthquakes happen?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Creep
xCreep : Slow, more or less continuous movement occurring on faults due to ongoing tectonic deformation.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Lower Solar Activity Linked to Changes in Sun's Conveyor Belt

The sun goes through cycles that last approximately 11 years. These solar cycle include phases with more magnetic activity, sunspots, and solar flares. They also include phases with less activity. The...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA