Latest NASA Probe Reveals Planet Mercury Is Shrinking

London, England (AHN) - Mercury, the nearest planet to the sun and the smallest in the solar system, is shrinking, scientists said Saturday.

Astronomers assured the public that the planet, named after the winged-footed Roman messenger of the gods, will not disappear very soon. It will not happen in the lifetime of those alive now, but billions of years later.

Scientists said that the cooling of the planet's core triggered a magnetic dynamo, which led to the contraction of the planet. The contraction is estimated at least one-third greater than what was previously expected.

Last January, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration revealed images sent by its Messenger probe were some 1,200 photos were taken, 120 miles away from the planet's surface.

The probe was launched in 2004, and passed by Mercury on Jan. 14, a first visit after 33 years. The probe made four sweeps over Mercury.