All of Mercury
For the first time, the
entire surface
of planet Mercury has been mapped.
Detailed observations of the
innermost planet's
surprising crust have been ongoing since the robotic
MESSENGER spacecraft
first passed Mercury in 2008 and began orbiting in 2011.
Previously, much of the
Mercury's surface was unknown as it is too far
for Earth-bound telescopes to see clearly, while the
Mariner 10
flybys in the 1970s observed only about half.
The above video
is a compilation of thousands of images of Mercury rendered in
exaggerated colors to better contrast different surface features.
Visible on the rotating world are
rays emanating from a
northern impact that stretch across much of the planet,
while about half-way through the video the light colored
Caloris Basin rotates into view,
a northern ancient impact feature that filled with lava.
MESSENGER has now
successfully completed
its primary and first extended missions.