Mercury Photos from NASA's Messenger Probe - Part 2 (April 2011 through 2012)

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Mapping Mercury's Surface in Color

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This image was taken on April 15, 2011. In addition to the surface morphology base map, MDIS is currently acquiring a color base map during the mission's first 176 days. The color base map is composed of WAC images taken through eight different narrow-band color filters and will cover more than 90% of Mercury's surface at an average resolution of 1 km/pixel (0.6 miles/pixel) or better. In contrast to the imaging conditions best suited for seeing surface topography, the highest-quality color images of Mercury's surface are obtained when both the spacecraft and the Sun are overhead and shadows are limited.

Sunlit Areas on Mercury’s South Pole

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This image of Mercury’s south polar region from NASA’s Messenger probe shows a map colored on the basis of the percentage of time that a given area is sunlit; areas appearing black in the map are regions of permanent shadow.

Water Ice on Mercury

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

The highest-resolution radar image of Mercury’s south polar region made from the Arecibo Observatory (Harmon et al., Icarus, 211, 37-50, 2011) is shown in white on MESSENGER orbital images colorized by the illumination map. Radar-bright features in the Arecibo image all collocate with areas mapped as in permanent shadow, consistent with the proposal that radar-bright materials contain water ice.

Easy as 1-2-3!

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washingto

Acquiring high-resolution 3-color images of Mercury's surface is a major mapping activity in MESSENGER's extended mission. This image was taken April 13, 2012.

The Southern Wall of Stravinsky

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washingto

The structure running across the center of this image is the southern wall of the 190-kilometer diameter crater Stravinsky. This image was taken April 2, 2012.

One-two Punch

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This image shows two craters that formed from impacts on Mercury's surface at a very similar location. This image was taken April 2, 2012.

Welcome to Albedo Mapping!

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washingto

A new imaging campaign during MESSENGER's extended mission is acquisition of a global albedo map of Mercury's surface. This image was acquired March 29, 2012.

Well Donne

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This image from the Narrow Angle Camera provides a fine view of the crater Donne. It was acquired Aug. 2, 2011.

Put on the Red Light

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This image shows a color view of the southern rim of the Caloris impact basin. The prominent reddish spots are associated with irregular depressions that are thought to be volcanic vents. It was taken June 3, 2011.

I Walk the Line

NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

This view shows a remarkable line of secondary craters, formed by a set of similar-sized blocks thrown out by the impact that formed an unnamed 150-km diameter crater, whose rim is just to the southeast of the lower right end of the crater chain. The image was acquired Jan. 20, 2012.

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Space.com Staff
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