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Earth and Moon Seen by MESSENGER Spacecraft
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
The pair of bright star-like features in the upper panel are not stars at all, but the Earth and Moon. MESSENGER was at a distance of 98 million kilometers (61 million miles) from Earth when this picture was taken. The computer-generated image in the lower left shows how the Earth appeared from Mercury at the time. Much of the Americas, all of Europe and Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia were visible. Data acquired July 19, 2013. [
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Earth and Moon: Views from Saturn & Mercury
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute and NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
These images show views of Earth and the moon from NASA's Cassini probe around Saturn (left) and Messenger spacecraft at Mercury (right) from July 19, 2013. Cassini was 898 million miles (1.44 billion kilometers) away from Earth at the time, while Messenger was 61 million miles (98 million km) away. [
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100 Percent Coverage
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
At the very end of 2012, MESSENGER obtained the final image needed to view 100 percent of Mercury's surface under daylight conditions. The mosaics shown here cover all of Mercury's surface and were produced by using the monochrome mosaic released by NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) on March 8, 2013, as the base. This image was released May 31, 2013.
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Through the Ages
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
This mosaic was created by combining two images that were taken 96 seconds apart. The MESSENGER spacecraft has to be farther from the planet, in the southern portion of its orbit, to acquire these views. Mercury's cratered surface is highlighted dramatically near the terminator (the division between the sunlit dayside and the dark nightside of the planet), reflecting Mercury's history of being battered by impacting objects through the ages. This image was released May 7, 2013.
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Where is MESSENGER?
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
Using the new global mosaic of Mercury, the feature now shows two views of the spacecraft's ground track: one with a 10.5° field of view like the Wide Angle Camera (middle of top row) and one with a 1.5° field of view like the Narrow Angle Camera (right corner of top row). This image was released May 29, 2013.
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Dark and Explosive?
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
This high-resolution image shows a region of the southern rim of the large Caloris basin. In the center is an irregularly shaped depression believed to be a pryoclastic volcanic vent. In this previously posted image, you can see this feature in the upper right as having a reddish color with a dark center. This image was released May 5, 2013.
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Come Closer, Cunningham
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
This new, high-resolution view of Cunningham crater was recently acquired by MESSENGER. What you can't see in this image, which shows striking details of the crater's interior, is the extensive set of rays associated with Cunningham. The bright rays of Cunningham indicate that the crater is relatively young, having formed on Mercury likely within the last billion years. This image was released May 5, 2013.
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Filling the Void
Credit: mercury, messenger, nasa, messenger_part2
Inside the large peak-ring basin Praxiteles sits this small, unnamed crater that has been partially flooded with volcanic material. The flooded 25-km-diameter crater postdates the formation of the nearly 200-km basin but predates the flow that filled it. Such stratigraphic relationships help planetary geologists decipher the history of planetary surfaces. This image was released April 10, 2013.
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Mercury Global Maps
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Scientists use images from NASA's Messenger spacecraft to create these global views of Mercury, the most complete maps ever. The images were released on Feb. 22, 2013.
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Colors of the Innermost Planet: View 1
Credit: Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
This colorful view of Mercury was produced by using images from the color base map imaging campaign during MESSENGER's primary mission. Image released Feb. 18, 2013.
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Colors of the Innermost Planet: View 2
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
This colorful view of Mercury was produced by using images from the color base map imaging campaign during MESSENGER's primary mission. These colors are not what Mercury would look like to the human eye, but rather the colors enhance the chemical, mineralogical, and physical differences between the rocks that make up Mercury's surface. Image released Feb 18, 2013.
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Mercury's Rachmaninoff Impact Basin
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
This is a still image taken from a rotating movie of Mercury's Rachmaninoff impact basin. Image released 15, 2013.
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Mercury Mountains in the Distance
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
This striking view of Mercury is located near the rim of the large Caloris basin. The rim of Caloris is marked by hills and mountains, some of which can be seen in the distance in this image. Image released Feb. 18, 2013.
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Ahmad Baba, Mercurian Peak-Ring Basin
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Seen here on Mars is a view of Ahmad Baba, a classic mercurian peak-ring basin. Ahmad (Ahmed) Baba was a West African writer who lived from 1556-1627. Image released Feb. 11, 2013.
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Mercury's Southern Hemisphere
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Mercury's cratered southern hemisphere is seen here. The craters Magritte, Neruda, and Sher-Gil can be spotted within this scene. North is to the top-left of the image. Image released Feb. 8. 2013.
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Stieglitz Crater on Mercury
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
At the bottom of this image of Mercury is a part of the rim of crater Stieglitz. Alfred Stieglitz was an American photographer who lived from 1864 to 1946. His wife, painter Georgia O'Keeffe, is honored by a crater on the planet Venus. Image released Feb. 14, 2013.
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Topography of Northern Mercury
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Topography of a portion of Mercury from 75° N northward to the pole, in shaded relief and color-coded by elevation. The map is centered at 85°N on the 110-km-diameter crater Prokofiev, whose interior lies more than 5 km below the topographic datum. The north pole lies to the left of and below the smaller craters Tolkien and Kandinsky. Image released Nov. 28, 2012.
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Mercury's North Polar Regions in Shadow
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Arecibo Observatory
Shown in red are areas of Mercury’s north polar region that are in shadow in all images acquired by MESSENGER to date. Image coverage, and mapping of shadows, is incomplete near the pole. The polar deposits imaged by Earth-based radar are in yellow (from Image 2.1), and the background image is the mosaic of MESSENGER images from Image 2.2. This comparison indicates that all of the polar deposits imaged by Earth-based radar are located in areas of persistent shadow as documented by MESSENGER images. Image released Nov. 28, 2012.
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Water Ice Deposits in Mercury’s North Polar Region
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Arecibo Observatory
The radar image of Mercury’s north polar region from Image 2.1 is shown superposed on a mosaic of MESSENGER images of the same area. All of the larger polar deposits are located on the floors or walls of impact craters. Deposits farther from the pole are seen to be concentrated on the north-facing sides of craters. Image released Nov. 28, 2012.
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Mercury's North Polar Radar-Bright Regions
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Perspective view of Mercury’s north polar region with the radar-bright regions shown in yellow. Image released Nov. 28, 2012.
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Mercury's Pie Crust
Credit: NASA/The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/Smithsonian Institution
Wrinkle ridges and depressed troughs combine in this depressed crater in the Goethe basin on Mercury. The troughs, up to 2 kilometers wide, crosscut the outer ridge ring.
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Messenger Photo of Mercury
Credit: NASA/The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/Smithsonian Institution
This Messenger photo of Mercury shows wrinkle ridges around a network of troughs that formed when the volcanic plains were stretched apart. The wrinkle-ridge ring, about 100 km in diameter, is formed over the rim of a so-called ghost crater.
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Whenever I See Your Smiling Face (on Mercury)
Credit: NASA
The central peaks of this complex crater have formed in such a way that it resembles a smiling face. This image taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft is oriented so north is toward the bottom. Image released Nov. 9, 2012.
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A View of Mercury's High Northern Plains
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/CIW-DTM/GSFC/MIT/Brown University. Rendering by James Dickson and Jim Head
Perspective view of ancient volcanic plains in the northern high latitudes of Mercury revealed by NASA's Messenger spacecraft. Purple colors are low and white is high, spanning a range of about 2.3 km. Width of area spans about 1200 km. Each line is 5 degrees in latitude and longitude.
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Mickey Mouse on Mercury
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washingto
Craters on Mercury appear to form the image of Mickey Mouse. This scene lies to the northwest of the recently named crater Magritte, in Mercury's south. The image is not map projected; the larger crater actually sits to the north of the two smaller ones. Date acquired: June 3, 2012.
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Mercury's Northern Plains
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/CIW-DTM/GSFC/MIT/Brown University. Rendering by James Dickson and Jim Head
Ancient volcanic plains in the northern high latitudes of Mercury revealed by NASA's Messenger spacecraft. Purple colors are low and white is high, spanning a range of about 1 km. Width of area spans about 250 km.
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"Cookie Monster" on Mercury
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Craters photographed by MESSENGER spacecraft may appear to resemble a familiar television character, a favorite of children. Image acquired August 29, 2012, and released Oct. 12. [
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Beethoven Basin
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
This elevation map of the Beethoven basin is color-coded to show the height of features on Mercury's surface. Mercury lacks a "sea level", so the zero-point reference elevation is defined to be the mean planetary radius of 2440 km. Blue areas, such as within Bello crater on the floor of Beethoven, have negative elevations. The red and white areas to the southwest are more than 8 km higher than the lowest points in this area. This image was released on Feb. 27, 2012.
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First Image of MESSENGER's Extended Mission.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
One year ago, MESSENGER became the first spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury. On March 18, 2012, MESSENGER completed its one-year primary mission and began a yearlong extended mission that includes a number of new scientific observation campaigns. The image shown here was acquired yesterday and is the first of MESSENGER's extended mission. Image released on March 18, 2012.
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Deep Impact
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Although Mercury is replete with impact craters, it can be difficult to gauge their size in a meaningful way. This oblique image shows an unnamed crater that lies within the Rachmaninoff basin. It is a simple crater, characterized by its bowl-like shape, and lacks the central peak or peak ring of larger, complex craters. Image releases on Feb. 9, 2012.
