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Mercury seen by Messenger spacecraft

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

reference: a-mer04-00021

Image Size 300 DPI: 9 * 9 cm

In one of the first images transmitted back to Earth following MESSENGER's second flyby of Mercury, an image of the entire departing planet, a spectacular and extensive system of rays can be seen. This image shows a close-up view of the apparent source of those rays, a crater 110 kilometers (68 miles) in diameter located in the northern region of Mercury. The location of this bright crater is consistent with Earth-based radar images, which suggested a very fresh, rayed impact crater in this area. The amazing extent of this large ray system is visible for the first time in MESSENGER's newly acquired images.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONOMY - BLACK AND WHITE - CRATER - IMPACT CRATER - LIMB - MERCURY - MESSENGER - PLANET -