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Astral Atlas
Wiki concept · Physical bodies

Mercury

The innermost Solar System planet. Its astronomical position and its traditional symbolic meanings are different kinds of information.

In this entry

Word origin · etymology

Roman mythological name.

The planet bears the name of Mercury, the Roman deity associated with commerce and travel.

NASA StarChild: How planets and moons get their names ↗

How we know · epistemology

Observed body and symbolic association

Ephemerides describe the physical planet's apparent motion and changing solar separation. Its traditional association with thinking and communication is another layer of meaning; accurate Mercury coordinates do not measure a person's intellectual abilities.

NASA: Solar System planets ↗Astrology.com: Planets (first-party symbolic meanings) ↗

Connected concepts

Terms used in this explanation

These links connect subjects and terminology. They do not establish a shared historical origin.

Sources & provenance

Use the citations beside each section to distinguish a calculation convention, a historical teaching and an editorial example.

Find these sources across the wiki →

  1. NASA: Solar System planets ↗
  2. Astrology.com: Planets (first-party symbolic meanings) ↗
  3. NASA StarChild: How planets and moons get their names ↗