Mercury (planet) diagram on the right illustrates the effects of the eccentricity, showing Mercury's orbit overlaid with a circular orbit having the same semi-major axis. Mercury's higher velocity when it is near perihelion is clear from the greater distance it covers in each 5-day interval. In the diagram the varying distance of Mercury to the Sun is represented by the size of the planet, which is inversely proportional to Mercury's distance from the Sun. This varying distance to the Sun leads to Mercury's surface being flexed by tidal bulges raised by the Sun that are about 17 times stronger than the Moon's
The Nearest Thing to Heaven The Nearest Thing to Heaven The Nearest Thing To Heaven was a sizable hit for Bunny Walters in 1974. It reached #10 in the New Zealand charts. It was also his last hit. The song was composed by Tony Macaulay, Gary Sulsh, and Stuart Leathwood. The song was originally recorded by Ben Thomas, released in the UK on Bell Records BELL 1272 in 1972. The version recorded by Bunny Walters was released in 1974 on Impact IR 1084. The B side contained "Songs We Sang Together" which was also composed by Tony Macaulay. This version that Walters recorded was produced