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| Piú votate - Mercury |
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.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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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)85 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.MareKromium
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Neruda_Crater-PIA17515-PCF-LXTT-IPF-1.jpgNeruda Crater (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)81 visiteThis frame is an Extra Detail Magnification (or "EDM", for short) featuring the Central Peaks' System of the Mercurian Impact Crater named "Neruda", after the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (born on July, 12, 1904 in Parral - Chile - and died on September, 23, 1973 in the Chilean State's Capital, Santiago). As you can see, this Impact Crater (whose diameter is approx. 112 Km - such as about 69,55 miles) exhibits several Central Peaks punctuated by a few more recent, small Craters, resulting in a rugged Surface mostly made of ups and downs (and now think how difficult it would be if one hypothetical Astronaut decided - or just needed - to traverse the whole Crater's highly irregular Floor...). Similarly, the Crater's namesake Pablo Neruda experienced a number of ups and downs in his life, from success as a poet, through poverty, war and ultimately alleged poisoning.
Date acquired: July, 24th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 251577944
Image ID: 2256593
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 52,20° South
Center Longitude: 125,30° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 80,4° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 9,6° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 2,4°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 78,0°
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 17515) has been additionally processed, contrast enhanced, 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 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Neruda_Crater-PIA17515-PCF-LXTT-IPF-0.jpgNeruda Crater (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)75 visiteThis frame features the Mercurian Impact Crater named "Neruda", after the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (born on July, 12, 1904 in Parral - Chile - and died on September, 23, 1973 in the Chilean State's Capital, Santiago). As you can see, this Impact Crater (whose diameter is approx. 112 Km - such as about 69,55 miles) exhibits several Central Peaks punctuated by a few more recent, small Craters, resulting in a rugged Surface mostly made of ups and downs (and now think how difficult it would be if one hypothetical Astronaut decided - or just needed - to traverse the whole Crater's highly irregular Floor...). Similarly, the Crater's namesake Pablo Neruda experienced a number of ups and downs in his life, from success as a poet, through poverty, war and ultimately alleged poisoning.
Date acquired: July, 24th, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 251577944
Image ID: 2256593
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 52,20° South
Center Longitude: 125,30° East
Solar Incidence Angle: 80,4° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 9,6° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 2,4°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 78,0°
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 17515) 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
(2 voti)
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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)119 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Full_Disk-PIA16852-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgMercury (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)97 visiteThis extremely detailed and, in fact, really impressive view of the Planet Mercury was produced by using images from the Color Base Map Imaging Campaign that was carried out during the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's Primary Mission. Young Rays, extending radially from (relatively) fresh Impact Craters, appear of a light gray or whitish color; the dark-gray and almost black-colored Regions and Areas are those Geologic Units of Mercury's Crust which are known as the "Low-Reflectance Material" (such as a Material that, according to the opinion of many Planetary Scientists, is thought to be rich in a dark and opaque Mineral). The brown and orange Regions are Plains that were formed, most likely, by the passage of Highly Fluid Lavas. The Impact Crater visible in the upper right of the image, at about one 'clock, and whose etremely well defined Rays' System stretches across the entire Planet, is Hokusai Crater.
We, as IPF, believe that the different colors of Mercury, as visible in this picture (which is an Ortographic Projection of the Innermost Planet in the Solar System), also can tell us something important about the age of the various Mercurian Regions and Areas. For instance, the almost black (or completely black) Areas and Spots, should be the ones which were more exposed to (and therefore that should have suffered for the longest time) the relentless action of the Charged Particles forming the Solar Wind and the Cosmic Rays. This means, in terms of age of these Areas and Spots, that the Surface Materials forming them should be the oldest ones that can be found on the Planet.
On the other hand, the Regions and Areas whose colors become less and less dark (and therefore we are talking about colors going from brown and dark orange, to yellow and, finally, to light gray or white) should be the ones that were less exposed to the so-called Cosmic Weathering, and this means, still in terms of age, that the Surface Materials that form them, should be the youngest ones present, today, on Mercury.
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 0°
Center Longitude: 320,00° East
This image (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft false color image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16852) has been additionally processed 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 outside, towards the Planet 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Full_Disk-PIA16853-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgMercury (Possible Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)99 visiteThis extremely detailed and, in fact, really impressive view of the Planet Mercury was produced by using images from the Color Base Map Imaging Campaign that was carried out during the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft's Primary Mission. Young Rays, extending radially from (relatively) fresh Impact Craters, appear of a light gray or whitish color; the dark-gray and almost black-colored Regions and Areas are those Geologic Units of Mercury's Crust which are known as the "Low-Reflectance Material" (such as a Material that, according to the opinion of many Planetary Scientists, is thought to be rich in a dark and opaque Mineral). The brown and orange Regions are Plains that were formed, most likely, by the passage of Highly Fluid Lavas. The giant Caloris Impact Basin is the large, and very well visible, circular yellow-orangish Surface Feature located just near the upper right of center of the image (such as at abour one 'o clock of Mercury's disk).
We, as IPF, believe that the different colors of Mercury, as visible in this picture (which is an Ortographic Projection of the Innermost Planet in the Solar System), also can tell us something important about the age of the various Mercurian Regions and Areas. For instance, the almost black (or completely black) Areas and Spots, should be the ones which were more exposed to (and therefore that should have suffered for the longest time) the relentless action of the Charged Particles forming the Solar Wind and the Cosmic Rays. This means, in terms of age of these Areas and Spots, that the Surface Materials forming them should be the oldest ones that can be found on the Planet.
On the other hand, the Regions and Areas whose colors become less and less dark (and therefore we are talking about colors going from brown and dark orange, to yellow and, finally, to light gray or white) should be the ones that were less exposed to the so-called Cosmic Weathering, and this means, still in terms of age, that the Surface Materials that form them, should be the youngest ones present, today, on Mercury.
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 0°
Center Longitude: 140,00° East
This image (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft false color image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16853) has been additionally processed 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 outside, towards the Planet 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Snorri_Crater-PIA16993-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgSnorri Crater (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)101 visiteThe bright, Rayed Impact Crater visible in this image taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft, is one of the most prominent that we can find on the Planet Mercury. Named Snorri, after an Icelandic writer and poet, this Impact Crater is approx. 21 Km (such as a little more than 13 miles) in diameter and it was, in fact, discovered after the examination of the images returned by the NASA - Mariner 10 Spacecraft when it flew by Mercury on September, 21, 1974.
This frame was acquired as part of MDIS's High-Resolution Surface Morphology Base Map. The Surface Morphology Base Map covers more than 99% of Mercury's Surface with an Average Resolution of 200 meters/pixel. Images acquired for the Surface Morphology Base Map typically are obtained at off-vertical Sun Angles (---> high Solar Incidence Angles) and have visible Shadows so to clearly reveal the actual topographic forms/shapes of the imaged Geologic Features.
Date acquired: October, 14th, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 227045180
Image ID: 882221
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 9,42° South
Center Longitude: 277,10° East
Resolution: 195 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 22,4° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 67,6° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 51,0°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 73,4°
This image (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft Map Projected b/w frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16993) 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Z2.jpgFading away...120 visiteUn piccolo esempio di come la NASA "giochi" con i colori dei Pianeti: nell'inset, come da didascalia, un'immagine in "True Colors" di Mercurio ottenuta dalla Sonda Mariner 10, durante il terzo Fly-By di Mercurio, occorso nel lontano AD 1975. Mercurio, come in TUTTE le foto dell'epoca (incluse quelle ottenute via-telescopio, da Terra) appare di un color rossiccio/marrone, ed infatti più di un Astronomo, in quegli anni, disse che Mercurio era "molto più rosso/arancio di Marte".
Perchè?
Per effetto dell'azione, incessante e combinata, delle particelle cariche che formano il Vento Solare ed i Raggi Cosmici; particelle che, per almeno 4,5/5 miliardi di anni, hanno "martellato" Mercurio (particelle cariche le quali, unite all'azione di bombardamento meteorico, costituiscono l'essenza del cosiddetto "Space Weathering").
Ora, qual'è l'effetto del bombardamento di particelle cariche sulla roccia che forma i Corpi Celesti "massicci" (la roccia che è "esposta" al duro "Ambiente Cosmico", come si dice tecnicamente - Harsh Space Environment)? Semplice: prima la roccia diventa rosa, poi più scura (diciamo arancio/rossiccia), poi ancora più scura (rosso/marrone) ed infine diviene nera. In altre parole: l'azione congiunta delle particelle che formano il Vento Solare (il quale "batte" Mercurio incessantemente e da - relativamente - vicino) e di quelle che formano i Raggi Cosmici, porta la roccia a diventare, negli eoni, sempre più scura.
Questo concetto che Vi ho appena esposto è accettato dall'INTERA Comunità Scientifica.
Ora, come vedete, la NASA ci fa vedere un qualcosa di assolutamente bizzarro, ossia la Superficie di Mercurio che, negli anni tra il 1975 ed il 2011, anzichè rimanere scura (o scurirsi ancor di più) si è "schiarita". E allora? Come è mai possibile una cosa simile? Semplice: non è possibile.
Questo vuol dire che le foto Mariner 10 del 1975 (dal punto di vista cromatico) erano genuine, al pari delle immagini ottenute da Terra. D'altro canto, le foto MESSENGER che ci arrivano adesso sono, sempre dal punto di vista cromatico, "taroccate": per l'esattezza, sono state TUTTE sovrasaturate - ergo sbiadite nei toni cromatici, così "trasformando" Mercurio da Pianeta Rossiccio/Marrone, in Pianeta Grigio.
Perchè? Beh, questo chiedetelo ai Ragazzi di Pasadena: loro, con i colori, ci giocano da parecchi anni....MareKromium
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Unnamed_Crater-CP_and_Hollows-PIA16952-PCF-LXTT-IPF-1.jpgHollowland, again! (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)130 visiteThis image - taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft - shows us the Hollow-covered Central Peak Structure (a Feature that is also often called Central Uplift) of a Mercurian Northern Hemisphere's Unnamed Impact Crater having a diameter of about 60 Km (such as approx. 37,26 miles). It is now clear that these mysterious Mercurian Surface Features known as "Hollows" are not only related - as it was thought at the beginning - to (relatively) flat surfaces (such as the Floors of a countless number of Impact Craters) or on areas located near or on top of the Rims of said Impact Craters: it has been now visually proven that the Hollows can also be found on highly irregular (---> NOT "flat") and complex rocky structures (---> Central Peaks and, maybe, Hills and Mountains). And, in the meanwhile, the search continues...
Date acquired: March, 24th, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 6465097
Image ID: 3753557
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 36,20° North
Center Longitude: 244,20° East
Resolution: 29 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 61,7° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 28,3° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 21,1°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 65,8°
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 16952) 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Faulkner_Crater-PIA16908-PCF-LXTT-IPF-1.jpgFaulkner Crater (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)129 visiteIn this picture, taken by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft, we can see relatively young and smooth Lava Plains which have filled and partially (actually, almost completely) buried the Mercurian Faulkner Crater (approx. 168 Km - such as about 104,32 miles - in diameter), leaving only the Northern three-quarters of its highly degraded Rim visible. These smooth Lava Plains, which have relatively few superposed Impact Craters (and that is why they can be considered - always relatively speaking - "young") and appear of a light brown-pink color in this Absolute Natural Colors image, were - likely - emplaced when powerful Volcanic Flows breached Faulkner's Southern Rim, invaded the whole Floor of the Crater and then set, leaving only the highest-standing portions of Terrain (such as, as we wrote herebefore, some part of its Northern Rim) almost intact.
Date acquired: January, 19th, 2013
Images Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 878881, 878901, 878885
Images ID: 3356193, 3356198, 3356194
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 8,61° North
Center Longitude: 77,37° East
Resolution: 299 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 36,5° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 53,5° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 43,6°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 78,1°
This picture (which has been cropped from an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft false color image-mosaic published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16908) has been additionally processed 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 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
(2 voti)
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ZZ-Mercury-Craters-Pahinui_Crater-PIA16903-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgPahinui Crater (Absolute Natural Colors - Credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)82 visiteOne of 9 (nine) newly named Mercurian Impact Craters, Pahinui, has intriguing Collapse-looking Pits surrounding its Central Peak. Pahinui Crater ha been so named after the Hawaiian musician Gabby Pahinui, a key figure in the 1970s Hawaiian Renaissance and master of the "slack-key guitar", a style that originated in Hawaii.
This image was acquired by the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft as part of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)'s High-Resolution Surface Morphology Base Map. The Surface Morphology Base Map covers more than 99% of Mercury's Surface with an average resolution of 200 meters/pixel. Images acquired for the Surface Morphology Base Map typically are obtained at off-vertical Sun Angles (i.e.: high Solar Incidence Angles and therefore low Sun shining over the imaged Local Horizon) and have visible Shadows so as to reveal clearly the Topographic Form of many Geologic Features.
Date acquired: July, 31st, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 220635824
Image ID: 575089
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 28,30° South
Center Longitude: 146,90° East
Resolution: 139 meters/pixel
Solar Incidence Angle: 77,3° (meaning that the Sun, at the time that the picture was taken, was about 12,7° above the imaged Local Mercurian Horizon)
Emission Angle: 22,5°
Sun-Mercury-Messenger (or "Phase") Angle: 99,9°
This picture (which is an Original NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft b/w frame published on the NASA - Planetary Photojournal with the ID n. PIA 16903) 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
(2 voti)
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