Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Mercury's horizon by Messenger- Oct 6 2008

Mercury's horizon by Messenger- Oct 6 2008

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

reference: a-mer04-00017

Image Size 300 DPI: 9 * 9 cm

This image was taken about 54 minutes before MESSENGER's closest approach to Mercury during the mission's second flyby of the innermost planet in the Solar System. The striking image shows a view looking over Mercury's horizon into the darkness of space. The surface in this image is located in the northern portion of the sunlit, crescent-shaped planet seen as the spacecraft approached Mercury. The low Sun angle creates distinct shadows, enhancing the visibility of the roughness of the surface, which is especially prominent for material ejected from, and surrounding, the impact crater cut by the left edge of this image.

Keywords for this photo:

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