''Mercury'' is an online quarterly
science magazine
''Science'', also widely referred to as ''Science Magazine'', is the peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and one of the world's top academic journals.
It was first published in 1880, ...
that features articles and columns about
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
for a general audience published by the
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) for its members.
History
The first issue of ''Mercury'' was published in January 1972 as a
bimonthly popular journal to boost public understanding of astronomy and act as a
science communication
Science communication is the practice of informing, educating, raising awareness of science-related topics, and increasing the sense of wonder about scientific discoveries and arguments. Science communicators and audiences are ambiguously def ...
platform to interpret the results of astronomical research for the nonspecialist. In 2007, the magazine was offered in printed and digital form, transitioning to all-digital the following year. ''Mercury'' continues as an ASP members-only digital publication and, as of 2019, the publicly-accessible ''Mercury Online'' companion blog was launched, featuring articles from the ''Mercury'' archives.
Editors of ''Mercury'' over the years include Leon Salanave, Richard Reis,
Andrew Fraknoi
Andrew Fraknoi (born 1948) is a retired professor of astronomy recognized for his lifetime of work using everyday language to make astronomy more accessible and popular for both students and the general public. In 2017 Fraknoi retired from his po ...
, Sally Stephens, James White III,
George Musser
George Musser (born 1965) is a contributing editor for ''Scientific American'' magazine in New York and the author of ''The Complete Idiot’s Guide to String Theory'' and of ''Spooky Action at a Distance''.
Biography
Musser did his undergraduate ...
,
Robert Naeye
Robert Naeye is an American science journalist and former magazine editor.
Early life
He was born in Burlington, Vermont and raised in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He currently lives just outside Hershey.
His ancestry can be traced to the Flande ...
, Paul Deans, Ian O'Neill, and Liz Kruesi.
''Mercury'' has its headquarters in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.
Contributors include (as of 2019): Jennifer Birriel,
Clifford Cunningham
Clifford J. Cunningham is a Canadian-Scottish professional astronomer and author of numerous books on asteroids.
Biography
He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo; upon enrollment, at age 15, he was the young ...
, Matthew R. Francis, C. Renee James, Brian Kruse, Arianna Long, Jason Major, Steve Murray, James Negus, M. Katy Rodriguez Wimberly, Linda Shore, Tracy Staedter,
Christopher Wanjek
Christopher Wanjek is a health and science journalist and author based in the United States.
Biography
Wanjek received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Temple University and his master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.
He ...
.
References
{{Reflist
External links
''Mercury'' magazine homepage
Online magazines published in the United States
Quarterly magazines published in the United States
Science and technology magazines published in the United States
Astronomy magazines
Defunct magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1972
Magazines disestablished in 2008
Magazines published in San Francisco
Online magazines with defunct print editions