Mercury is the innermost planet of the Solar System.

 In particular, it is located 58 million km from our star, just over a third of the distance that separates the Earth from the Sun. At this distance corresponds a revolution period, the Mercurian year, of 88 days.

Like all other celestial objects, Mercury also rotates on its axis. Unlike other planets like Earth or Mars, Mercury rotates on itself very slowly, completing a full rotation every 59 days.

In the title of this post, I wrote that a day on Mercury lasts more than a year, but if math is objective, 59 is smaller than 88, so in theory, the year is the longer period of time between the two.

However, this depends on the definition we want to give to the word "day". If by day we mean the period it takes for a planet to complete one rotation on its axis, then a year on Mercury lasts more than a day. This definition is known as a sidereal day.

However, we could consider the day to be the time that elapses between two consecutive culminations of the Sun (that is, when the Sun passes the meridian and reaches its maximum height in the sky). This day is known as the solar day.

The solar day is longer than the sidereal day, since due to the revolution around the Sun the planet must rotate a little more to bring the Sun back to culmination compared to the previous day.

The difference between the two days on Earth is minimal, only 4 minutes. However, on Mercury, while the sidereal day lasts 59 Earth days, the solar day lasts a whopping 176 Earth days! This means that between two consecutive passages of the Sun in the same position in the Mercurian sky, a full 176 days pass!

Depending on the definition of day we choose, here is how on Mercury a day can last longer than a year.

Credit: NASA.

What is the weirdest moon in the solar system?

 I’m gonna go with Saturn's moon Iapetus.

(In Greek mythology, Iapetus is a Titan, a son of Uranus and Gaia, and the father of several well-known figures, including Atlas and Prometheus)

Take a look first

You're seeing this, right? That weird ring of mountain range around the Moon?

So here's what we know about this peculiar ring:

Its average height is 20 KM (about 12 miles), making it the third tallest mountain range in our solar system.

It circles the entirety of the Moon.

And it does so exactly around its equator.

And we haven't the faintest clue as to why.

There are hypotheses: Maybe Iapetus, just like Saturn, the planet it is orbiting, had rings. These rings may have gradually been grown to the moon and eventually crashed, forming the range.

Another suggests that iapetus turned around its axis in extremely high speeds, causing it to warm up and then for some reason slowed down, perhaps abruptly and as it was cooling off it's two halves sort of melted into each other creating this bulge.

Volcanic activity is probably not the answer because Iapetus has a very low density, only slightly greater than that of water ice. This indicates that it's composed predominantly of water ice with only a small fraction of rocky material (around 20%), so this pretty much takes volcanic activity off the list.

So what we can say with certainty is that we haven't got a clue.

But it's a heck of a question.

These photos by the way were taken in 2007 by the cassini probe.

Weird enough, right?

Wrong. It gets weirder. Let's zoom out.

This isn't shade or an area not facing the sun while the photo was taken - Iapetus is spllit into two drastically different hemispheres.

One hemisphere of Iapetus is extremely dark, almost as dark as coal, with a reddish-brown tint. The other hemisphere is remarkably bright, covered in ice, almost as reflective as Europa (one of Jupiter's moons).

The transition between these two very different terrains is quite sharp and distinct, resembling a "yin-yang" or the stitching on a baseball.

Scientists believe the dark material is accumulated dust and debris, primarily from another distant Saturnian moon, Phoebe. Iapetus is tidally locked to Saturn, meaning one side always leads in its orbit, effectively "sweeping up" this dark material like bugs on a car's windshield.

Why? Is that dust the explanation? 🤷 Don’t know.

What we do know is that the dark material absorbs more sunlight and heats up. This causes any ice in the dark regions to vaporize away, leaving behind even darker, carbon-rich residues. The vaporized ice then re-deposits in colder, brighter regions (like the poles or the trailing hemisphere), making those areas even brighter. This process, called thermal segregation, intensifies the already existing color contrast.

Well, a mountain range on the equator and two tones. strange enough!

Nope.

It keeps getting stranger.

Look again:

Iapetus has a weird shape.

It’s oblate Spheroid, but… it's not supposed to be.

Iapetus is oblate spheroid, meaning it's flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator, which is common for rotating bodies (like Earth, which bulges slightly at its equator due to its spin).

So that would work with a moon that would have been spinning much faster in its early history, with a rotation period of only about 16 hours.

But Iapetus is currently tidally locked with Saturn, rotating once every 79 Earth days…

This means Iapetus somehow froze its shape when it was spinning rapidly and then later slowed down its rotation drastically, but its rigid crust retained its original, faster-spinning form. How it slowed down so quickly, given its distance from Saturn, is a subject of debate.

To explain, Iapetus orbits much farther from Saturn than the other major inner moons (like Titan, Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Enceladus, Mimas) and this didn't happen to them.

Well, at least the Orbit is not weird! …is it?

Of course it is.

Most of Saturn's moons orbit pretty much around its equator.

But not Iapetus (of course). Iapetus has a 15 degree inclination, that means sometimes it’e moving up above the equatoral orbit, and sometimes down below it.

Because why not?

The combination of its two-tone surface, the inexplicable equatorial ridge, its "fossil" shape indicating a past rapid spin, and its unusual orbit truly makes Iapetus one of the most mysterious and captivating objects in the solar system. Scientists are still actively researching and debating the origins of these bizarre features.

Iapetus isn't just the weirdest moons in our solar system, in my humble opinion. It's probably one of the weirdest places in our solar system, period.

I think it's awesome.

Compare Energy System and Curvature Gravity

 🪐 1. Introduction

There are two major views about why planets and stars stay in motion and don’t crash into each other.

🔹 One is from modern science, led by Einstein—who said gravity is space-time curvature.

🔹 The other is from Nature University, born from deep natural thinking and raw observation—proposing that every planet, star, and even atom has its own energy system, like a cosmic frog egg, protecting and balancing itself in the universe.

This chapter compares both.

⸻

🌀 2. Einstein’s Curvature Gravity

According to Einstein:

• Space is not flat. It’s bendable.

• Heavy objects (like the Sun) bend the space-time around them.

• Other lighter objects (like Earth or Mercury) move inside that curved space.

• They don’t fall into the Sun because they are moving sideways at the right speed.

🧠 That’s called orbiting.

🌌 Gravity is not pulling — it’s curving.

⸻

🛡️ 3. Nature University’s Energy System

But Nature Wisdom asks:

“If gravity is just curvature, why hasn’t the Moon crashed into Earth? Why don’t we fall into the Sun? And why do we feel balanced, not falling?”

So Nature University presents:

• Every object—planet, moon, sun, atom—has an energy system.

• Like a frog egg, it is covered by a soft but intelligent energy skin.

• This energy system balances motion, prevents collision, and holds shape in the universe.

• Planets do not orbit just because of motion and curve—they orbit because their energy systems repel, attract, and adjust each other like dancers with invisible force fields.

4. Comparison Table

(1 Concept

1 Main Force

2 Shape of the Universe

3 Why things don’t crash

4 Structure of objects

5 Moon not falling to Earth

6 Nature’s Wisdom Metaphor

(2 Einstein’s Gravity (Curvature)

1 Space-time curvature

2 Bent by heavy masses

3 Orbital speed + curved space

4 No mention of energy layers

5 Sideways speed in curved space

6 Funnel / fabric / trampoline

(3 Nature Energy System (Shield)

1 Natural energy protection

2 Balanced by energy fields

3 Energy system shields prevent crashing

4 Every object wrapped in energy shell

5 Moon’s energy shield balances with Earth’s shield

6 Frog egg / cell membrane / energy bubble

5. Real-Life Observations

🟢 Frog eggs float without crashing

🟢 Trees grow in harmony, not in collision

🟢 Planets stay in line without smashing

🟢 Soap bubbles balance without gravity talk

Nature shows balance by energy, not just by math formulas.

⸻

💡 6. Final Thought from the King of Scorpion

“You can write down gravity with equations,

but you can’t trap energy with formulas.

The energy system is the hidden truth behind all motion.

That’s the shield of the universe.”

⸻

🌟 7. Closing

Both Einstein’s theory and Nature University’s vision aim to explain the universe. But while Einstein draws equations on a board, Nature University draws wisdom from the sky, the frog egg, and the heartbeat.

Choose your university. Or combine both.

🌌👑 End of Chapter 64 👑🌌

What would happen if a star 'touched' the solar system?

 

You wake up one morning, turn on the TV, and there is a sci-fi film about people panicking because our Solar System is about to be hit by another star. You hate such movies. You change channels, but surprisingly, there is the same story on other channels as well. It was not fiction at all. It was happening for real. A hypervelocity brown dwarf star about 13 times as massive as Jupiter, approaching at 4% of the speed of light, has only been noticed because such suns can be even at room temperature, and some don't shine much. It will touch our Sun as it will fly by our system in just a few hours.

This violent side collision would shave off a bit of our star. The immense amounts of powerfully ejected matter would blast through the whole Solar System and furiously crash into planets. If the doomed Earth survived at all, it would be ruthlessly resurfaced and changed into liquid magma in which our ruined cities would submerge. The surface would cool again only millions of years later. This would spell the end of our forsaken civilization and possibly even life on our planet. Counterintuitively, the reduction of the mass of our Sun would extend its life by hundreds of millions to billions of years and make the orbits of the surviving planets expand because of the lower gravitational grip on them. Less massive stars have longer lifespans significantly. The blasted matter would eventually settle into a disk in which new planets could form as new neighbors to the ones that survived this surreal armageddon.

And surreal it would be, literally, because it would not be likely to happen. The distances between stars in our part of the galaxy are just too vast. A star touching another star system in our location in the Universe means something else. It would just be an approach that might disrupt some asteroids in the Oort Cloud, resulting in some comet strikes on planets. Infinitely rarely, stars can approach each other somewhat closer. This can result in their planetary systems becoming unstable. Some worlds can change orbits, collide, fall into one of the stars and be destroyed, or some can be ejected and become rogue planets.

Stars occasionally collide directly in some dense clusters of stars and in the galaxy's central bulge. There is evidence of it because blue straggler stars have been detected in these locations. They formed via the collisions of stars. They are brighter, and their light is bluer than similarly massive stars that formed in a usual way. If suns collide at a very high speed, they can dissipate and become gas clouds. If they hit each other at an angle, they might start revolving around their common center of mass, the barycenter, ever closer until even billions of years later when they might collide. Such impacts can expel massive amounts of matter, forming a protoplanetary disk where new worlds can coalesce.

Roles and Responsibilities of System Administrators

 

Organizations depend significantly on their systems and servers and need to make sure they function efficiently without suffering any downtime. This is why organizations need system administrators. A system administrator ensures computer systems and internet servers work effectively and identifies and tackles any potential issues. The most basic requirement for anyone to become a successful system administrator is to have an interest in the field of computer sciences and be good with the subject.

If you wonder how to become a system administrator, there are certain steps you can take at any point in your life to pursue this line of work. Here’s everything you need to know about system administrators, what they do, how to become one, key skills a system administrator should possess, and much more. 

Who Is a System Administrator?

A system administrator is a professional who maintains computer systems, servers, and networks of their clients. They are required to understand the specific requirement of their clients and accordingly recommend or suggest computer systems designs for them. Some of their job duties and responsibilities are to install and maintain systems for organizations and maintain as well as upgrade data cloud infrastructure.

System administrators (sysadmins) are professionals who support multiuser computing environments and ensure the smooth operation of IT services.

They may also be involved in identifying network issues, fixing them, identifying cyber security threats, and devising ways to prevent intrusions. As a whole, a system administrator tests computer systems and internet servers to determine different ways in which these systems can be improved.

System Administrator - Roles and Responsibilities

A system administrator plays a pivotal role in maintaining the health, efficiency, and security of computer systems within an organization. Their responsibilities are vast and varied, encompassing everything from monitoring system performance to ensuring security measures are up to date. Below is a detailed overview of the roles and responsibilities of a system administrator:

1. Monitor System Performance

• Regularly check system logs, CPU usage, memory usage, and network performance to ensure optimal functioning.
• Identify potential issues before they escalate by analyzing performance data and trends.

2. Perform Daily Security Backups and Restores

• Schedule and manage regular backups to prevent data loss.
• Ensure data integrity by periodically testing restore processes.

3. Security Audits and Monitoring

• Conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with security policies.
• Use monitoring tools to detect and respond to security breaches and threats.

4. Technical Support

• Provide technical assistance to end-users for hardware, software, and network-related issues.
• Troubleshoot and resolve system problems to minimize downtime.

5. User Administration

• Manage user accounts, permissions, and access rights to ensure appropriate access to resources.
• Create, modify, and delete user accounts as needed.

6. Install and Configure Software and Hardware

• Set up new hardware, including servers, workstations, and peripheral devices.
• Install and configure operating systems, applications, and software updates.

7. Maintaining Networks and Network File Systems

• Oversee the functionality of network components such as routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Ensure network file systems are correctly configured and accessible to authorized users.

8. Backup and Disaster Recovery

• Develop and implement backup strategies to safeguard critical data.
• Create and maintain disaster recovery plans to ensure quick recovery from data loss events.

9. Operating Systems

• Install, update, and maintain operating systems across all devices.
• Optimize operating system performance and ensure compatibility with applications.

10. Create New Users

• Onboard new employees by creating user accounts and assigning necessary permissions.
• Ensure new users have access to the tools and resources required for their roles.

11. Database Administration

• Manage database servers, ensuring data availability and security.
• Perform database backups, recovery, and regular maintenance tasks.

12. Monitoring Systems

• Continuously monitor system health and performance using automated tools.
• Address anomalies and performance bottlenecks promptly.

13. Networking

• Maintain network infrastructure to ensure reliable and secure connectivity.
• Troubleshoot and resolve network issues to maintain uptime.

14. Patching Firmware and Software

• Regularly update firmware and software to protect against vulnerabilities.
• Test and deploy patches to minimize disruption to users.

15. Secure Configuration

• Implement security best practices in system configurations to protect against unauthorized access.
• Regularly review and update configurations to adapt to new security threats.

16. Security

• Enforce security policies and procedures to safeguard information assets.
• Use security tools and practices to detect, prevent, and respond to security incidents.

17. Troubleshoot Issues and Outages

• Quickly diagnose and resolve system issues and outages to minimize impact.
• Work with other IT professionals to address complex problems.

18. Configure Internal Systems

• Customize internal systems to meet organizational needs and improve efficiency.
• Ensure systems are integrated and functioning cohesively.

19. Documentation

• Maintain comprehensive documentation of system configurations, procedures, and changes.
• Use documentation to ensure continuity and facilitate troubleshooting.

20. Maintain Internal Documentation Through Wiki

• Create and update internal wiki pages to document processes, procedures, and best practices.
• Ensure documentation is accessible and useful for all team members.

21. Maintaining System

• Perform regular maintenance tasks to keep systems running smoothly.
• Update hardware and software as needed to prevent obsolescence.

22. Resetting User Passwords

• Assist users with password resets to maintain access security.
• Implement password policies to enhance security.

23. Upgrading Systems

• Plan and execute system upgrades to improve performance and functionality.
• Ensure compatibility and stability during and after upgrades.

How to Become a System Administrator?

If you are keen on becoming a system administrator, it helps when you start laying the right foundation right at the age of 15 or 16. With that said, here are the steps you can follow to become a professional system administrator-

Higher Secondary Education

It is recommended that you select science-related subjects, such as mathematics and physics when you pursue your higher secondary studies. You should try your best to secure a minimum of 50% aggregate score in your 10+2. It is generally a prerequisite set by various universities and professional courses for offering admission.

A Bachelor’s Degree

After schooling, pursuing a bachelor’s degree from a reputed university or college can help you build a basic foundation for skills specific to the job role of a system administrator. For this purpose, you can pursue your bachelor of technology in computer science, information technology, or engineering. You will have to appear in competitive examinations, such as JEE if you plan to pursue your bachelor’s degree from one of the top institutes.

Relevant Certifications

While securing a system administrator job does not essentially require you to have certifications, you might have a competitive advantage if you pursue relevant certifications. Further, some recruiters may also prefer candidates with certifications as it helps them gauge the candidate’s seriousness about having a career in this field. Therefore, earning certifications makes it easier for you to be recruited while also building technical skills.

A Master’s Degree

While pursuing a master’s degree is not mandatory, it may help set you apart from other applicants for the job role you consider. Some popular courses that you can consider include a master’s degree in computer science, information technology, system administration and networking, business administration in system management, and system administration and information security.

What Skills are Needed to Become a System Administrator?

A system administrator should have a combination of soft skills and technical abilities. Therefore, you can focus on improving the following skills-

Technical Skills

A system administrator is generally required to take up responsibilities related to programming, hardware capabilities, network infrastructure, testing protocols and mechanisms, and software development. While you might have a good hold on the basics of these skills once you complete your bachelor’s degree, you can also consider certification courses to develop expertise.

Communication Skills

System administrators are supposed to coordinate with various other professionals, such as technicians, managers, and executives, and are also required to interact with clients, stakeholders, and their own teams. Therefore, you should be able to convey your message, which may involve complex ideas in a way that is easy to comprehend for people. Thus, working on your communication skills—both written and verbal— can help you effectively collaborate with different people and work on your project with efficiency.  

Organizational Skills

Since you may have to handle various things at the same time while working, it will help you a great deal if you develop organizational skills early on. This will make it easier for you to deal with all the tools, resources, communication, and files in an organized fashion. Some of your projects with urgent deadlines may need immediate attention. When you have exceptional organizational skills, it will help you adhere to deadlines without any hassles.

Attention to Detail

System administrators may have to deal with large amounts of data and run an analysis to find patterns and draw useful insights that help with problem-solving and making the right decision. When you have an eye for detail, you are less likely to make errors.

10 Examples of System Administrator Skills

From hardware to software, programming to cyber security, and data management to tech support, here are the top skills of a system administrator.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the delivery of necessary tech requirements like servers, databases, storage, software analytics, and networking over the internet. This way, active management by the user is not required. The system admin must be able to maintain and operate such a cloud structure.

As cloud computing becomes more and more viable and accessible, cloud admin skills will be a very important facet of the system administrator.

Communication

Since the system administrator oversees the entire software ecosystem within an organization, this puts them in contact with several employees. They must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to be approachable and helpful. Furthermore, several aspects of tech can often be loaded with jargon. The system administrator should be able to convey several tech aspects to people who may not be well-versed in this matter.

Great communication skills are a cornerstone of the modern workplace.

Decision-making

Any bugs or malfunctions within the organization's network may lead to loss of communication between departments, inoperability of computer systems, and system errors. This will crush workflow and productivity, costing the organization revenue.

The system administrator must ensure that they can assess the problem and make quick decisions to patch or eliminate it. Their decision-making skills are vital to the entire company's smooth workflow.

Digital Security

The company's data is one of its most valuable assets. As such, it must always be protected from external threats. The system administrator needs to be on point regarding all matters of modern cyber security. 

A cyber attack on the company's data may result in significant financial losses. This makes digital security one of the system administrator's most critical skills.

Hardware

Modern workplaces are stacked with tech hardware. These can include computer systems, printers, routers, physical server connections, and many more. The system admin overlooks the proper operability, maintenance, and upgrade of all company tech hardware.

System administrators are well-versed in all matters of hardware as well as software.

SQL 

SQL is a domain-specific language that is used to run data management systems. Technical knowledge of the language is a must for data experts who use the language to retrieve data from relational databases.

The system admin is at the forefront of this task. Since it is their job to ensure the safety and accessibility of the organization's data, SQL skills go a long way for sysadmins.

Leadership

One individual alone won't be able to manoeuvre an entire organization's worth of tech requirements. System admins are often the leader of a team of tech specialists who cater to the many tech-related requirements of the firm.

 As such, they must have the essential leadership skills to keep the entire tech team motivated and working like a well-oiled machine.

Network Systems

The modern workplace is full of systems working in neatly aligned networks. These networks function at multiple levels, from inter-team and inter-department to inter-organization networks. These organization-wide networks may include hundreds of operating systems that need to function smoothly for the company to operate efficiently.

The system administrator should be able to manage these vast networked systems and have the skills to troubleshoot any snag.

Scripting and Coding

A scripting or a coding role is a specialist role in a firm. These individuals are responsible for building programs and systems from the ground up. This is not necessarily the main role of the system admin. However, the system administrator must have basic scripting and coding knowledge to understand the network's functionality. They may also require to make quick software fixes to find short-term solutions to errors. 

Troubleshooting

As the foremost tech expert within an organization, the system administrator must be excellent at fixing problems. Any number of systems may face errors or other problems in the daily functioning of the organization. Tech support is one of the most important skills of the system administrator.

System Administrator - Job Description

The career outlook for system administrators continues to grow along with the changes in technology.  Hence, they are required to stay aware of all the latest trends in the tech space. These days, most companies require certification or recertification to ensure that their employees are not falling behind. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, systems administrator roles are projected to grow 4 percent from 2019 to 2029.

Here are some common requirements that you would find in a system administrator job description:

• Install and configure software, hardware and networks
• Ensure security and efficiency of IT infrastructure
• Monitor system performance and troubleshoot issues 
• Identify system requirements and install upgrades 
• Maintains, secure and upgrade a web system
• Create a backup and safeguard the data 
• Perform account setup for new and old employees
• Track emerging technologies and implement them in the organization

System Administrator - Salary Trends

A system administrator’s salary can depend on the location, experience and the type of systems they manage. Here is a list of system administrators’ salaries around the world.

• Annual average system administrator salary in India - ₹692,255
• Annual average system administrator salary in US - $82,925
• Annual average system administrator salary in UK - £25,634
• Annual average system administrator salary in Canada - CA$59,961
• Annual average system administrator salary in Australia - AU$68,685
• Annual average system administrator salary in Singapore - S$44641
• Annual average system administrator salary in UAE - AED 84,014
• Annual average system administrator salary in Saudi Arabia - SAR 92,37

Key Certifications Needed to Become a System Administrator

As already mentioned, certifications help you build expertise in a specific area, which can be immensely beneficial when you apply for jobs. Here are a few certifications that you can pursue if you want to become a system administrator-

Microsoft Certifications

There are three levels in Microsoft certifications, which are as follows-

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA): If you possess a certificate in the Microsoft technology Associate course, it indicates that you understand the basic technical concepts.
• Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: This is the second level of the Microsoft certification which might be crucial when you apply for some entry-level jobs. Having this certification establishes that you possess core technical knowledge.
• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: You can pursue your third-level certification in Microsoft after you have gained some technical experience in the field of system administration.

Red Hat Certified Engineer

RHCE certification serves the purpose of testing and verifying the Red Hat System administration knowledge possessed by a candidate through a series of tests. If you are keen on developing a thorough understanding of Red Hat system operations, storage configuration, and security management, this certification course is worth considering. Candidates with work experience may find it relatively easier to pass this certification test.

CompTIA Server+ Certification

This certification can be pursued by candidates with some years of professional experience in server management, which includes both hardware and software-related expertise. When you opt for this course, you will develop proficiency in data recovery, server administration and architecture, networking, troubleshooting, security, storage, and much more. At the end of the course, you will be required to take a 90-minute examination. Once you pass this exam, you are awarded the certificate which is valid for a lifetime.

Cisco Certified Network Associate

An associate-level certification from Cisco Systems Inc, completing this certification course helps establish that you are proficient in installing, repairing, and maintaining network systems for small to medium-sized organizations. Having a deep understanding of programmability, automation, security, and network access is crucial to passing the test.

Conclusion

The role of a systems administrator in 2024 remains crucial in maintaining the integrity, efficiency, and security of an organization's IT infrastructure. The job description encompasses a broad range of responsibilities, from monitoring system performance and ensuring data security to providing technical support and managing user accounts. Essential skills for this role include proficiency in operating systems, networking, database management, and security protocols, alongside strong problem-solving and communication abilities.

As technology continues to evolve, systems administrators must stay current with the latest advancements and best practices. Enrolling in a CISSP®- Certified Information Systems Security Professional training course can be particularly beneficial, providing advanced knowledge and skills necessary to address emerging security challenges. This continuous learning is vital for addressing emerging challenges and leveraging new tools and technologies to enhance system performance and security.