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| Ultimi arrivi - Mercury |
ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Unnamed_Crater-PIA18247-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgUnnamed Crater with Hollows (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)71 visiteThis frame, obtained by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on Frebruary, 25, 2014, which shows us a Mercurian Northern Hemisphere's Unnamed Impact Crater - approx. 12,5 Km - such as about 7,76 miles in diameter -, suggested a question that we would like to ask you as much as ourselves: do those extremely common and bright (---> highly reflective) Mercurian Surface Features known as "Hollows" form preferentially on those Crater Walls (---> Inner and Outer Slopes as wll as thier Rims) which receive a more direct (---> and therefore intense) Sunlight?
In the Northern Hemisphere of Mercury, the Northern Walls of the Impact Craters are frequently flooded by a very intense Sunlight (meaning that they are almost always VERY well illuminated), while their Southern Walls only receive grazing Sunlight and therefore they are more often in Shadow; on the other hand (and we just say, "obviously"), in the Mercurian Southern Hemisphere, the Impact Craters' Northern Walls are the ones which receive just grazing Sunlight (and therefore are much less illuminated) while the Southern Walls get more direct (and therefore stronger) Sunlight. Said that, Planetary Scientists, on the base of their observations (mostly founded on the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's images), believe that the greater the Solar Heating is experienced by the Walls of any given Impact Crater, the more Hollows will form on its (both Inner and Outer) Slopes and Rims (in other words: the direct Solar Illumination should reasonably be an important - if not decisive - factor in the formation of Hollows on the Walls of the Impact Craters located on both Mercury's Hemispheres).
Images like the one here can help us to answer this question and what we see in today's APOD is found in an area of focus (---> interest) for the current NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's Low-Altitude Imaging Campaign. Perhaps, in the (near) future, we may know more about all this: let's just wait an see what happens...
Date acquired: February, 25th, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 35646241
Image ID: 5828285
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 42,92° North
Center Longitude: 330,90° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 43,5° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 46,5° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 46,1°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 30,1
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 18247) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumMag 07, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-To_Ngoc_Van_Crater-PIA15201-PCF-LXTT-IPF-01.jpgTo Ngoc Van (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)103 visiteIn this beautiful Extra Detail Magnification (or "EDM" for short) which has been taken from a picture obtained by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on November, 8, 2011, we can see, once again, prominent, near the center of the degraded Impact Crater To Ngoc Van, an interesting (and really irregularly shaped) Collapse Pit (approx. 20 Km - such as about 12,42 miles - across). As a matter of fact, many samples of Impact Craters with one (or more) Collapse Pit/s located on their Floors, have already been identified across the Mercurian Surface and - most likely - they all formed as a consequence of (extremely ancient) phenomena of Explosive Volcanism. To be more specific, we, as IPF, do believe that the aforementioned phenomena of Explosive Volcanism that caused the formation of Pits inside a great number of Mercurian Impact Craters, was, most likely, triggered by the Impacts themselves and the subsequent powerful Shock-Waves that deeply altered the Sub-Surface of a Planet which - at the time when most of the Impacts took place - was still Geoilogically Active (we could say that, in those - remote - times when its Surface was so heavily battered, Mercury was, however, still "alive" - at least from a Geological point of view).
Date acquired: November, 8th, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 229277972
Image ID: 988708
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 52,89° North
Center Longitude: 248,60° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 60,3° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 29,7° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 23,0°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 83,4°
This picture (which is a crop taken from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 15201) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumGen 30, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-To_Ngoc_Van_Crater-PIA15201-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00.jpgTo Ngoc Van (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)92 visiteIn this beautiful view obtained by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on November, 8, 2011, we can see, once again, prominent, near the center of the degraded Impact Crater To Ngoc Van, an interesting (and really irregularly shaped) Collapse Pit (approx. 20 Km - such as about 12,42 miles - across). As a matter of fact, many samples of Impact Craters with one (or more) Collapse Pit/s located on their Floors, have already been identified across the Mercurian Surface and - most likely - they all formed as a consequence of (extremely ancient) phenomena of Explosive Volcanism.
Date acquired: November, 8th, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 229277972
Image ID: 988708
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 52,89° North
Center Longitude: 248,60° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 60,3° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 29,7° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 23,0°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 83,4°
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 15201) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumGen 30, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Unnamed_Craters-PIA17827-PCF-LXTT-IPF-2.jpgMercurian Nightfall (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)92 visiteWith the Sun already extremely low in the Sky over this Mercurian Region located in the Northern Hemisphere of the Innermost Planet of the Solar System (the Sun is only about 8° above the imaged Local Horizon), the long, deep and dark Shadows created by this specific Spatial Configuration, accentuate the very uneven (---> highly irregular) nature of the Terrain.
This picture, which is just a Magnified Crop taken from yesterdy's frame, shows, to the most attentive Viewers, a very unusually-looking Surface Feature whose origin and nature cannot be identified with certainty. However, it could - probably - be an oblong Secondary Crater with a strange - and still illuminated - Central Peak, or, maybe, a Wall-like Relief that divides the Floor of a Pit Crater. Again, as we said herebefore, a definitive answer about what we are actually looking at, cannot be given at this time.
The Feature here, if you wish to take a look at the so-called Contextual Image (CTX Frame), is located on the lower portion of the frame, slightly towards the left (Sx).
Date acquired: November, 12th, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 26543484
Image ID: 5181047
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 67,11° North
Center Longitude: 249,80° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 82,0° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 8,0° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 36,9°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 118,9°
This picture (which is a crop taken by an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17827) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumGen 30, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Unnamed_Craters-PIA17827-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00.jpgMercurian Nightfall (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)90 visiteWith the Sun already extremely low in the Sky over this Mercurian Region located in the Northern Hemisphere of the Innermost Planet of the Solar System (the Sun is only about 8° above the imaged Local Horizon), the long, deep and dark Shadows created by this specific Spatial Configuration, accentuate the very uneven (---> highly irregular) nature of the Terrain.
In fact, the Surface visible here (---> we are looking at a scene which is about 14,6 Km - such as a very little more than 9 miles - across) has been battered - for eons and eons - by a countless number of Meteors and other Cosmic Impactors, until the Hilly Surface that exists and we can see today was finally created. For the most attentive Viewers, we, as IPF, strongly suggest you to take a careful look at the (very unusually-looking) Surface Feature (probably an oblong Secondary Crater with a strange - and still illuminated - Central Peak) that is located on the lower portion of the frame, slightly towards the left (Sx).
Date acquired: November, 12th, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 26543484
Image ID: 5181047
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 67,11° North
Center Longitude: 249,80° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 82,0° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 8,0° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 36,9°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 118,9°
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17827) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumGen 30, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Rupes-Terror_Rupes-PIA17881-PCF-LXTT-IPF-01.jpgTerror Rupes (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)78 visiteIn this picture, we can better see the Southern Mercurian Relief known as "Terror Rupes": it is the long, Cliff-like Landform visible right in the middle of the frame. Terror Rupes is one of Mercury's most prominent Lobate Scarps, and it was so named after the HMS (---> Her Majesty's Ship) Terror: an eighteenth-century warship that, later, participated in Scientific Polar Explorations.
Date acquired: February, 4th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 236853865
Image ID: 1353252
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 69,30° South
Center Longitude: 96,00° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 80,3° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 9,7° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 50,9°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 114,5°
This picture (which is a crop taken from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17881) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, 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.MareKromiumGen 25, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Rupes-Terror_Rupes-PIA17881-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00.jpgTerror Rupes (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)77 visiteThis is certainly not the first time that we can take a look at the Limb of Mercury and, just as usual, we have to underline that these kind of images never fail to showcase the Geological Diversities of the Innermost Planet of the Solar System. This time, something fills the scene with "terror" and that is, to be clear and precise, the "Terror Rupes", such as the long, Cliff-like Landform visible almost at (better yet to say "near"...) the center of the scene. Terror Rupes is one of Mercury's most prominent Lobate Scarps, and it was so named after the HMS (---> Her Majesty's Ship) Terror: an eighteenth-century warship that, later, participated in Scientific Polar Explorations.
Date acquired: February, 4th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 236853865
Image ID: 1353252
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 69,30° South
Center Longitude: 96,00° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 80,3° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 9,7° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 50,9°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 114,5°
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17881) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 outside, towards the Southern Limb 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.MareKromiumGen 25, 2014
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ZZ-Mercury-Limb-PIA17787-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgMercurian Horizon (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)72 visiteThree well known Mercurian Impact Craters are prominently featured in this view, taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on November, 16, 2013. The fascinating Peak-Ringed Impact Basin named Wang Meng (whose diameter is approx. 165 Km - such as about 102,465 miles) is visible toward the Mercurian Horizon, slightly to the left portion of the frame, while the Pit-Floored Impact Crater Glinka can be seen near the bottom left of the picture. Last, but not least, the Impact Crater known as Judah Ha Levi is about half way in between the first two that we mentioned herebefore.
Date acquired: November, 16th, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 26888421
Image ID: 5205547
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 10,04° North
Center Longitude: 251,20° East
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON-Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17787) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, Gamma corrected, magnified to aid the visibility of the details 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 Limb 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.MareKromiumDic 26, 2013
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Wang_Meng_Crater-PIA17239-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00.jpgWang Meng Crater, in context (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)76 visiteThe large Wang Meng Impact Basin (whose diameter is approx. 165 Km - such as about 102,465 miles) can clearly be see in the top right of this image, which is a mosaic made out of three frames taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on April, 20, 2013. This Absolute Natural Color view of the Impact Basin shows us, among many other extremely interesting things, the strong contrast between the dark Low Reflectance Material (or "LRM", for short) which is located on the Eastern Portion of Wang Meng's Peak Ring and the brighter Western Portion of the Peak Ring itself, as well as the bright white Rays that spread across the right side (---> West) of the picture.
While some of the Hollows existing on and near the Crater's Peak Ring and Outer Rim are, somehow, "associated" (here and there, and always unevenly) with Low Reflectance Material, as evidenced by their bright white halos, the Rays that are visible here (---> such as towards the Western and South/Western sides of the frame) are, in fact, coming from other Impact Craters located in Wang Meng's proximities - including the small, fresh Impact Crater visible towards the right corner of the picture, just in betwenn the Peak Ring and the Outer Rim of Wang Meng.
Date acquired: April, 20th, 2013
Images Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 8743264, 8743256, 8743260
Images ID: 3915336, 3915334, 3915335
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 6,33° North
Center Longitude: 254,10° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 41,6° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the pictures were taken, was about 48,4° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 0,2°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 41,7°
This frame (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's false colors and Map-Projected image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17239) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, magnified to aid the visibility of the details, Gamma corrected and then re-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 Mercurian Impact Crater "Wang Meng"), 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.MareKromiumDic 26, 2013
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Wang_Meng_Crater-PIA17239-PCF-LXTT-IPF-01.jpgWang Meng Crater, in detail (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)75 visiteThe large Wang Meng Impact Basin (whose diameter is approx. 165 Km - such as about 102,465 miles) can clearly be see in this Extra Detail Magnification which is a crop taken mosaic made out of three frames obtained by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on April, 20, 2013. This Absolute Natural Color view of the Impact Basin shows us, among many other extremely interesting things, the strong contrast between the dark Low Reflectance Material (or "LRM", for short) which is located on the Eastern Portion of Wang Meng's Peak Ring and the brighter Western Portion of the Peak Ring itself, as well as the bright white Rays that spread across the lower right side (---> West) of the picture.
While some of the Hollows existing on and near the Crater's Peak Ring and Outer Rim are, somehow, "associated" (here and there, and always unevenly) with Low Reflectance Material, as evidenced by their bright white halos, the Rays that are visible here (---> such as towards the Western and South/Western sides of the frame) are, in fact, coming from other Impact Craters located in Wang Meng's proximities - including the small, fresh Impact Crater visible towards the upper right corner of the picture, just in betwenn the Peak Ring and the Outer Rim of Wang Meng.
Date acquired: April, 20th, 2013
Images Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 8743264, 8743256, 8743260
Images ID: 3915336, 3915334, 3915335
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 6,33° North
Center Longitude: 254,10° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 41,6° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the pictures were taken, was about 48,4° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 0,2°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 41,7°
This frame (which is a crop taken from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's false colors and Map-Projected image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17239) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, magnified to aid the visibility of the details, Gamma corrected and then re-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 Mercurian Impact Crater "Wang Meng"), 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.MareKromiumDic 26, 2013
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Mena_Crater-PIA17786-PCF-LXTT-IPF-01.jpgMena Crater, in detail (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)83 visiteIn this simple, and yet very interesting picture, taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft on November, 13, 2013, we can get a relatively close look at the fresh, Bright-Rayed Impact Crater known as Mena (note: due to the distance between the Spacecraft and the Mercurian Surface, the Bright Rays of Mena Crater can just be barely seen in this image).
As you may want to notice, solidified Impact Melt formed some kind of a "Heart-shaped" and smooth Pond that is mostly concentrated on the South/Western Side of the Crater Floor; the quite obvious (---> very clear, easy to see) asymmetry existing between the aforementioned South/Western Side of the Floor and some (actually, a large) portion of its North/Eastern one, is due to the fact that Mena Crater did not form on a Flat Surface, but on the Sloping Rim of a much older Impact Crater (as it will be better seen tomorrow's contextual APOD).
Date acquired: November, 13th, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 26657614
Image ID: 5189176
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 0,24° South
Center Longitude: 235,30° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 54,7° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 35,3° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 23,4°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 71,0°
This frame (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's b/w and NON Map-Projected image published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 17786) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, magnified to aid the visibility of the details, Gamma corrected 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 Western Edge of the Mercurian Impact Crater "Mena"), 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.MareKromiumDic 26, 2013
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Mena_Crater-PIA15202-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00.jpgMena Crater, in context (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)65 visiteThe (relatively) young Rays of Mena Crater (approx. 15 Km - such as about 9,315 miles - in diameter) contrast brightly against the surrounding Mercurian Surface, though these beautiful and colorful Rays will gradually fade, and disappear, with time (Eons, in fact).
Furthermore, the asymmetric pattern of the Rays themselves, with an obvious gap in their South-Western direction, may be due to the angle at which the Impact that formed the Crater occurred or, maybe, it can also be due to the circumstance that Mena Crater formed on a very uneven Surface, such as just right on top of the Outer Rim of a larger, pre-existing, Impact Crater, as it can well be seen in this contextual image-mosaic. We, as IPF, believe that the second scenario which was mentioned herebefore is quite more plausible than the first one (even though a combination of the two scenarios/factors cannot be excluded).
Date acquired: November, 12th, 2011
Images Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 229581348, 229581352, 229581356
Images ID: 1003074, 1003075, 1003076
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 0,97° South
Center Longitude: 234,00° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 29,7° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 60,3° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 16,3°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 46,0°
This frame (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's false colors and Map-Projected image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 15202) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, magnified to aid the visibility of the details, Gamma corrected and then re-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 Western Edge of the Mercurian Impact Crater "Mena"), 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.MareKromiumDic 26, 2013
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