images

Mercury by Messenger- Jan 14 2008

by

Nasa/JHUAPL/ Carnegie Institution of Washington/Novapix

Reference

a-mer04-00001

Date

2008-01-17

This image was taken on January 14, 2008 by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft at a distance of approximately 17,000 miles following the spacecraft's closest approach to Mercury. The image shows features as small as 6 miles in size. On the upper right is the giant Caloris basin, including its western portions never before seen by spacecraft. Formed by the impact of a large asteroid or comet, Caloris is one of the largest, and perhaps one of the youngest basins in the solar system.