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> Mercury by Messenger- Jan 14 2008

Mercury by Messenger- Jan 14 2008

author: Nasa/JHUAPL/ Carnegie Institution of Washington/Novapix

reference: a-mer04-00008

Image Size 300 DPI: 9 * 9 cm

As MESSENGER neared Mercury on January 14, 2008, the spacecraft's Wide Angle Camera on the Mercury Dual Imaging System took images of the planet through each of its 11 filters. This image of the planet's full crescent was taken using the 7th filter, in light near the far-red end of the visible spectrum (750 nm). The image shows portions of Mercury previously seen by Mariner 10, but when Mariner 10 flew by the planet at each of its encounters the Sun was nearly overhead. For this MESSENGER flyby, in contrast, the Sun is shining obliquely on regions near the day/night boundary (called the terminator) on the right-hand side of the crescent, revealing the surface topography in sharp relief. This image was taken about 80 minutes before closest approach from a distance of about 27,000 kilometers (17,000 miles) and shows features as small as 10 kilometers (6 miles).

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONOMY - BLACK AND WHITE - CRESCENT - MERCURY - MESSENGER - PLANET -