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ZZ-Mercury-Terminator-PIA12279.jpgStrange Neighbors54 visiteThe MESSENGER Spacecraft was flying toward Mercury at 3,7 Km/second (8300 miles/hour) when it captured this image. The Sun was just above the horizon, and the deep shadows it cast emphasized the texture and topography of the terrain along the Terminator (day/night boundary). The large crater at upper left has a rough rim and walls, and the floor of this crater has a sunken inner circular area. At the center of the sunken floor section is an irregular depression (or pit) that is entirely in shadow in this view. Just to the South-South/West is the right half of another large crater whose rim intersects that of the crater with the sunken floor. The southern crater is about the same diameter as its northern neighbor, but instead of exhibiting a sunken floor with a pit, it has been filled nearly to its rim with smooth material likely of volcanic origin. These two close neighbors, one empty and one full, attest to the surprisingly complicated geological history of the little planet closest to the Sun.
Date Acquired: September 29, 2009
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 162744138
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Resolution: 400 meters/pixel (0,25 miles/pixel)
Scale: This image is about 220 Km (approx. 140 miles) wide
Spacecraft Altitude: about 15.700 Km (approx. 9800 miles)MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Terminator-PIA14195-PCF-LXTT.jpgMercurian Terminator (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)194 visiteDate acquired: March 31, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 210035203
Image ID: 71446
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 83,17° South
Center Longitude: 250,9° East
Resolution: 1833 mt/pixel
Scale: the center of this image is about 1970 Km (approx. 1225 miles) acrossMareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Terminator-PIA14357.jpgMercurian Terminator (credits for the additional process. and color.: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)79 visiteCaption NASA:"The Terminator of Mercury, shown here in color, is the line between light and dark, or day and night. On Mercury, three days are equivalent to two years or, in other words, the Planet spins around its axis three times for every two orbits around the Sun. The first Mercury year of the MESSENGER mission ended on Monday, June 13, 2011".
Date acquired: June 07, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 215945273, 215943853, 215945277
Image ID: 349804, 349803, 349805
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 9 (1000 nanometers), 7 (750 nanometers), 6 (430 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 79,32° South
Center Longitude: 173,9° East
Resolution: 1715 meters/pixel
Scale: the approximate width of the image is 1840 KmMareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Terminator-PIA17229-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgSouthern Terminator (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)108 visiteThis image-mosaic was created by combining two frames that were taken only 96 seconds apart from each other. It is obvious that the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft has to be farther away from the Planet Mercury (and, precisely, it must be in the Southern portion of its orbit) to acquire views like these. Mercury's heavily Cratered Surface is very well and really dramatically highlighted here - particularly in the Regions near the Terminator (such as the Boundary Line existing between the Sunlit Dayside and the Dark Nightside of the Planet) -, thus reflecting its, in a way, "violent" history; an history which saw this always mysterious and fascinating Celestial Body being impacted by thousands and thousands of objects (i.e.: Meteors, Comets and, probably, even a few small Asteroids), through the ages.
Date acquired: May 7th, 2013
Images Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 10234404, 10234500
Images ID: 4021801, 4021802
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 60,00° South
Center Longitude: 260,00° East
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w Map-Projected frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17229) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, magnified and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mercury), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team. Different colors, as well as different shades of the same color, mean, among other things, the existence of different Elements (Minerals) present on the Surface of Mercury, each having a different Albedo (---> Reflectivity) and Chemical Composition.MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Terninator_Line-PIA16360-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgMercurian Terminator (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)96 visiteThis striking image shows the progression of Daylight across the Surface of Mercury and the line separating the night from the day is called "Terminator". Scientists have studied interesting phenomena occurring near the Terminator of the Moon for years. Such occurrences involve the interaction between Lunar Dust and Charged Solar Particles (---> the Ions making the Solar Wind). Because Mercury's Regolith is exposed to almost ten times as many Charged Particles as the Moon, it is an excellent place to study the effects of Solar Radiation on Surface Materials. In this unprojected image, North is to the right.
This image was acquired as part of MDIS's campaign to monitor the South Polar Region of Mercury. By imaging the Polar Regions approximately every 4 (four) MESSENGER orbits as illumination conditions change, the Surface Features that were in the shadows on earlier orbits, can be discerned and any permanently shadowed areas can also be identified after repeated imaging over One Solar Day. During MESSENGER's one-year primary mission, MDIS's WAC was used to monitor the South Polar Regions for the first Mercury Solar Day (which corresponds to 176 Earth Days), and MDIS's NAC made repeated images of the South Polar Regions during the second Mercury Solar Day.
Date acquired: August 01, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 220726567
Image ID: 579208
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 84.97° South Lat.
Center Longitude: 75,81° East Long.
Resolution: 1500 meters/pixel
Scale: the large crater at the bottom center is approx. 155 km (such as about 96 miles) in diameter.
Solar Incidence Angle: 84,9° (meaning that the Sun, at the picture was taken, was about 5,1° above the Imaged Local Horizon)
Emission Angle: 23,8°
Sun-Mercury-MESSENGER (or "Phase") Angle: 97,0°MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Unusual_Surface_Feature-PIA14465-PCF-LXTT.jpgAngular "Albedo Arc" (Enhanced Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunar Explorer Italia)128 visiteCaption NASA:"A distinct Albedo difference is visible in this image, separating lighter, smoother ground in the North from darker, older Terrain in the South. This contrast is likely indicative of a compositional difference between the two Terrains. Although at first glance this feature seems angular, the Albedo change most likely marks the edge of an extremely degraded Impact Basin (---> Crater)".
Date acquired: June, 21st, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 217183900
Image ID: 409241
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 30,53° North
Center Longitude: 226,2° East
Resolution: 343 meters/pixel
Scale: the diagonal length of this image is about 500 km (310 mi) across
Solar Incidence Angle: 54,3° (meaning that the Sun is about 35,7° above the Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 0,3°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 54,1°MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Features-Vent-GC-PIA16990-PCF-LXTT-IPF-1.jpgVolcanic Vent? (Absokute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)78 visiteThis picture is a NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft frame that shows us a potential Volcanic Vent located within the Mercurian Impact Crater Glinka. The resolution of this image (which is approx. 46 Km - such as about 28,566 miles - across) is more than two times better than the one of quite a few previous images of the same area, but there are still many doubts among Planetary Scientists that the Depression of the Surface that we see here is actually a Volcanic Vent (---> as a matter of fact, it could also easily be an unusually-looking Collapse Pit, for instance...). The Impact Crater Glinka was named after the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka (1804 - 1857), who is regarded as one of the Fathers of the Russian Classical Music.
Date acquired: November 26th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 262402263
Image ID: 3026496
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 14,96° North
Center Longitude: 247,40° East
Resolution: 44 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 67,5° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 22,5° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 3,1°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 64,5°
This image (which has been cropped from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft Map Projected b/w frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16990) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mercury), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team. Different colors, as well as different shades of the same color, mean, among other things, the existence of different Elements (Minerals) present on the Surface of Mercury, each having a different Albedo (---> Reflectivity) and Chemical Composition.MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Features-Vent-PIA12370.jpgIrregular Rimless Depression - Candidate for an Explosive Volcanic Vent on Mercury (Natural Colors; credits: Lunexit)54 visiteThis Region of high reflectance was just barely seen on the limb during MESSENGER's 2nd flyby, but without enough detail to characterize it as anything other than a bright spot.
A more favorable viewing angle reveals this bright spot to be an irregular rimless depression approx. 30 Km across surrounded by highly reflective material. Its features are distinctly different from those of impact craters and, though its origin remains ambiguous, it is suspected to be volcanic, possibly the site of an explosive Volcanic Vent. The high-reflectance halo surrounding this enigmatic feature is distinct in color and may represent a pyroclastic deposit greater than 150 Km in diameter.
Date Acquired: September 29, 2009
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Scale: The irregular rimless depression in the center of the image is approx. 30 Km (about 19 miles) acrossMareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Features-Vent-PIA15245-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgVolcanic Vent on the Edge of Caloris Basin (Absokute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)61 visiteThis kidney-shaped Surface Depression (which is approximately 23 Km - such as 14,283 miles - across its longest dimension) lies along the Inner Margin of the giant Caloris Basin and it was first imaged during the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's first Fly-By of the innermost Planet in the Solar System, about 2 years ago. The Rimless, non-circular Surface Depression is, in fact, the Vent of a small, explosive Volcano, and it is similar to many other Volcanic Vents that have been discovered on Mercury. The small number of superposed Impact Craters indicates that this Feature is, just in a manner of speaking, relatively "young" as to the surrounding Terrain. Notice, also, the considerable number of bright Hollows that seem to characterize a large portion of the Inner Rim as well as the East-facing Slopes of the small Impact Crater located right outside the Eastern Margin of the Vent, at about 4 o'clock of the Main Feature.
Note: for another view of this Volcanic Vent and its extremely interesting surroundings (seen on a larger scale), please refer to the APOD of December, 22nd, 2012.
Date acquired: June 7th, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 215894570
Image ID: 347724
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 22,5° North
Center Longitude: 146,1° East
Resolution: 28 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 39,6° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 50,4° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 45,5°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 78,3°
This picture (which has been cropped from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft b/w frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 15245) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mercury), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team. Different colors, as well as different shades of the same color, mean, among other things, the existence of different Elements (Minerals) present on the Surface of Mercury, each having a different Albedo (---> Reflectivity) and Chemical Composition.MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Features-Vents-PIA16627-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgVolcanic Vents near Caloris' Outer Edge - Credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)65 visiteThis image highlights the velvety texture that surrounds several Volcanic Vents located near the Outer Rim of the huge Impact Basin known as "Caloris Basin", on Mercury. This (apparently) soft texture, like freshly fallen snow, is formed by the emplacement of tiny beads of Lava that were explosively erupted and then quenched and solidified just before they reached the Surface. This diffuse Deposit heavily blankets several Impact Craters and older Vents, while it becomes thinner as long as it goes farther away from the Source of the Eruption. A large amount of the typical Mercurian Surface Features known as "Hollows" is also very well visible on the Rims of a number of Unnamed (and relatively modest in size) Impact Craters. This whole scene is approx. 106 Km across.
Date acquired: November, 17th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 261627279
Image ID: 2971208
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 22,03° North
Center Longitude: 146,4° East
Resolution: 54 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 39,1° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the pictures were taken, was about 50,9° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 61,4°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 90,9°
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft b/w frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16627) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mercury), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team. Different colors, as well as different shades of the same color, mean, among other things, the existence of different Elements (Minerals) present on the Surface of Mercury, each having a different Albedo (---> Reflectivity) and Chemical Composition.MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Regions-PIA10942-PCF-LXTT.jpgMercurian Volcano (Enhanced Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)200 visiteAs reported in the July 4th, 2008 issue of Science Magazine, Volcanoes have been discovered on Mercury’s Surface from images acquired during MESSENGER’s first Mercury Fly-By. This image shows the largest feature identified as a Volcano in the upper center of the scene. The Volcano has a central kidney-shaped depression, which is the Vent, and a broad smooth Dome surrounding the Vent. The Volcano is located just inside the Rim of the Caloris Impact Basin. The Rim of the Basin is marked with Hills and Mountains, as visible in this image. The role of Volcanism in Mercury’s history had been previously debated, but MESSENGER’s discovery of the first identified Volcanoes on Mercury’s Surface shows that Volcanism was active in the distant past on the innermost Planet.
Date Acquired: January 14, 2008
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET:108826877
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Resolution: 270 meters/pixel (0,17 miles/pixel)
Scale: this image is about 270 Km across (approx. 170 miles)
Spacecraft Altitude: 10.500 Km (approx. 6500 miles)MareKromium
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ZZ-Mercury-Volcanic_Regions-PIA12284.jpgEvidence of Volcanism on Mercury54 visiteSome impact craters on Mercury have non-circular, irregularly shaped depressions or pits on their floors. Such craters have been termed "Pit-Floor Craters", and MESSENGER team members have suggested that such Pits formed by the collapse of subsurface magma chambers. If this suggestion is correct, the pits are evidence of volcanic processes at work on the Solar System's innermost Planet. With high-resolution images from MESSENGER's 3rd Mercury flyby, more pit-floor craters are being identified on Mercury's Surface.
This NAC image shows a good view of a Pit-Floor Crater imaged last week prior to closest approach. The large crater near the center of the image contains an elongated bean-shaped depression on its floor and is a Pit-Floor Crater. The slightly smaller crater to the South also contains a pair of depressions on its floor, though from this image alone it cannot be determined if the depressions are pits or overlapping impact craters. Other examples of pit-floor craters discovered in MESSENGER images include Beckett, Gibran, and another newly imaged crater from Mercury flyby 3.
Date Acquired: September 29, 2009
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 162744290
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Resolution: 390 meters/pixel (0.24 miles/pixel)
Scale: this image is about 400 Km (approx. 250 miles) from top to bottom
Spacecraft Altitude: about 15.200 Km (approx. 9400 miles)MareKromium
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