Sunlit Side of the Planet Mercury (NASA, MESSENGER, 10/02/13)

As promised -- a gem of Mercury for Free-for-All Friday. :)

Another day, another beautiful view of Mercury's horizon. In this scene, which was acquired looking from the shadows toward the sunlit side of the planet, a 120-km (75 mi.) impact crater stands out near the center. Emanating from this unnamed crater are striking chains of secondary craters, which gouged linear tracks radially away from the crater. While this crater is not especially fresh (its rays have faded into the background), it does appear to have more prominent secondary crater chains than many of its peers.

This image was acquired on Oct. 2, 2013 by the Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) aboard NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, as part of the MDIS's limb imaging campaign. Once per week, MDIS captures images of Mercury's limb, with an emphasis on imaging the southern hemisphere limb. These limb images provide information about Mercury's shape and complement measurements of topography made by the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) of Mercury's northern hemisphere.

The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the solar system's innermost planet. During the first two years of orbital operations, MESSENGER acquired over 150,000 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is capable of continuing orbital operations until early 2015.

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab/Carnegie Institution

Original image:
www.nasa.gov/content/sunlit-side-of-the-planet-mercury/

More about the MESSENGER mission to Mercury:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/index.html
messenger.jhuapl.edu/index.php

For information regarding the use of MESSENGER images, see the image use policy:
messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/image_use.html

View the Mercury MESSENGER photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/sets/72157626546158766/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Some rights reserved

Taken on: October 22, 2013

Tags:

Mercury

MESSENGER

exploration

nasa

johns hopkins university

Wide Angle Camera

WAC

MDIS

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