Apollodorus Crater

Today's image highlights the striking central uplift of the Apollodorus Crater, located near the center of the Caloris basin. Such peak structures form in complex craters when material is uplifted from depth as a result of the impact process.

Date acquired: June 29, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 14849521
Image ID: 4349591
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 30.56°
Center Longitude: 163.3° E
Resolution: 34 meters/pixel
Scale: Apollodorus crater is approximately 41 km (25.5 mi.) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 77.4°
Emission Angle: 32.6°
Phase Angle: 110.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Hovnatanian Crater

Today's color image features Hovnatanian crater, named for Armenian painter Hakop Hovnatanian. The crater's elliptical shape and the bright rays' butterfly pattern indicate that a very oblique impact produced Hovnatanian. The brightness of the rays indicate that they are relatively young features on Mercury's surface.

This image was acquired as a targeted high-resolution 11-color image set. Acquiring 11-color targets is a new campaign that began in March 2013 and that utilizes all of the WAC's 11 narrow-band color filters. Because of the large data volume involved, only features of special scientific interest are targeted for imaging in all 11 colors.

Date acquired: May 01, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 9751363, 9751355, 9751351
Image ID: 3986986, 3986984, 3986983
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -7.39°
Center Longitude: 172.9° E
Resolution: 394 meters/pixel
Scale: Hovnatanian crater is about 34 km (21 miles) long.
Incidence Angle: 15.7°
Emission Angle: 40.0°
Phase Angle: 28.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Rupes

Today's image features a scarp, or cliff face, which is longer than the 77 km shown in this frame. Scarps form as one block of crust is thrusted forward over another, which can result from the cooling of the planet's interior causing global contraction. On Mercury, scarps are called "rupes," which is Latin for cliff.

This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.

Date acquired: July 08, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 15627633
Image ID: 4404792
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 20.47°
Center Longitude: 141.0° E
Resolution: 51 meters/pixel
Scale: Image width is about 65 km (40.4 miles)
Incidence Angle: 83.4°
Emission Angle: 38.9°
Phase Angle: 45.4°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Sander Crater

Today's color image highlights the bright hollows on the floor and peaks of Sander crater, named after the German photographer August Sander. The process responsible for these bright, shallow formations is still unknown, but it is possible that volatile sublimation is etching away at the surface.

This image was acquired as a targeted high-resolution 11-color image set. Acquiring 11-color targets is a new campaign that began in March 2013 and that utilizes all of the WAC's 11 narrow-band color filters. Because of the large data volume involved, only features of special scientific interest are targeted for imaging in all 11 colors.

Date acquired: June 06, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 12802777, 12802773, 12802771
Image ID: 4204118, 4204116, 4204115
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 42.53°
Center Longitude: 154.2° E
Resolution: 265 meters/pixel
Scale: Crater diameter is about 51 km (31.7 miles)
Incidence Angle: 42.9°
Emission Angle: 26.5°
Phase Angle: 69.4°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Impact Craters in Mercury's Southern Hemisphere

This image of Mercury's southern hemisphere shows the large size variation and multiple generations of impact craters on Mercury. Mercury's southern hemisphere is easier to image due to MESSENGER's elliptical orbit, but this orbit also prevents acquisition of high resolution images like those taken in the northern hemisphere.

Date acquired: February 08, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 2613780
Image ID: 3479116
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 9 (996 nanometers)
Center Latitude: -80.38°
Center Longitude: 302.4° E
Resolution: 1486 meters/pixel
Scale: The complex crater in the center of the image is 151 km in diameter (94 miles).
Incidence Angle: 85.0°
Emission Angle: 25.8°
Phase Angle: 59.1°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Stravinsky Crater's Southern Rim

This image is of the southern rim of the crater Stravinsky. In this high-incidence-angle lighting, the topography of the crater is easily seen. Particularly noticeable is the difference between the crater's flat floor and the hummocky terrain of the ejecta blanket outside the crater. The area in the lower left of the image is part of the Vyasa basin. Since Stravinsky's ejecta overlaps Vyasa, we can deduce that Stravinsky is younger than Vyasa.

Date acquired: February 15, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 3211541
Image ID: 3522080
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 50.01°
Center Longitude: 281.1° E
Resolution: 256 meters/pixel
Scale: The smaller crater in the upper left is 7.8 km (4.8 miles) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 82.7°
Emission Angle: 0.1°
Phase Angle: 82.7°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Ghost Crater Amid Ridges

The northern plains on Mercury have lower elevation than surrounding regions. This view of the northern plains includes many wrinkle ridges, a result of tectonic deformation. The ridges outline the rim of a ghost crater, formed when lava covered the crater and differential sagging took place over the rim. The ghost rim is joined by four other prominent ridges.

Date acquired: February 13, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 3038383, 3038375, 3038379
Image ID: 3509798, 3509796, 3509797
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 69.58°
Center Longitude: 284.1° E
Resolution: 91 meters/pixel
Scale: The ghost crater is 21 km (13 miles) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 84.9°
Emission Angle: 0.1°
Phase Angle: 85.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Monteverdi Crater

The northern plains of Mercury are home to many volcanically flooded craters such as Monteverdi, which occupies part of the lower edge of this image. The plains have abundant wrinkle ridges and fresh craters.

This image was acquired as part of MDIS's minimum-phase-angle color campaign. Near the north polar region, the incidence angle (measured from the vertical) is always fairly high because the Sun is low on the horizon. The minimum-phase-angle color campaign acquires images under conditions that minimize the shadows in an image by viewing the surface as nearly as possible from the same direction as the Sun's illumination, which minimizes the phase angle. Images are acquired through five of the WAC's narrow-band color filters, for regions north of 60° N, at an average resolution of 500 meters/pixel. The minimum-phase-angle color campaign began in March 2013.

Date acquired: April 18, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 8598032, 8598023, 8598029
Image ID: 3905074, 3905071, 3905073
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 66.83°
Center Longitude: 276.7° E
Resolution: 312 meters/pixel
Scale: The image is about 240 km across (149 miles).
Incidence Angle: 78.3°
Emission Angle: 50.3°
Phase Angle: 28.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

A Wrinkle Ridge in Goethe Basin

This small unnamed crater occurs near a wrinkle ridge in Goethe Basin. Since this image was taken near the north pole of Mercury, the shadows are more dramatic than in the equatorial region.

Date acquired: February 09, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 2721322, 2721314, 2721318
Image ID: 3487267, 3487265, 3487266
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 83.35°
Center Longitude: 291.6° E
Resolution: 86 meters/pixel
Scale: The larger crater in this image is 9.5 km in diameter (6 miles).
Incidence Angle: 87.6°
Emission Angle: 18.9°
Phase Angle: 87.5°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Enhanced Color Map of Mercury

This colorful view of Mercury is similar to that used to generate this movie [23MB, 6.5MB] of Mercury as a spinning globe, and these two individual views (centered at 140°E and 320°E) of the innermost planet. The enhanced color view is overlaid on the global monochrome base map, which is available for download here.

The enhanced color was produced by using images from the color base map imaging campaign during MESSENGER's primary mission. These colors are not what Mercury would look like to the human eye, but rather the colors enhance the chemical, mineralogical, and physical differences between the rocks that make up Mercury's surface. This specific color combination places the second principal component in the red channel, the first principal component in the green channel, and the ratio of the 430 nm/1000 nm filters in the blue channel.

Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 0°
Center Longitude: 180° E
Map Projection: Simple cylindrical projection
Resolution: 3.74 km/pixel
Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles)

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Digital Elevation Model of Mercury's Northern Hemisphere

The above image is from a digital elevation model (DEM) created by using orbital MLA data. The colors illustrate Mercury's topography, which spans roughly from -5 km (deep blue) to 5 km (red). The specific color bar is given on the ACT-REACT QuickMap description of this DEM layer. Also in QuickMap, this DEM can be used to generate 3D views of the surface.

The DEM can be downloaded on MESSENGER's Global Mosaics of Mercury webpage in a variety of formats and resolutions. The DEM was created by using MLA orbital data through that released by the PDS on March 8, 2013. Due to MESSENGER's highly elliptical orbit, MLA can only range to the surface in the northern hemisphere. Consequently, the DEM products derived from MLA data only cover the northern hemisphere of Mercury. Additionally, the accuracy of each DEM product is higher closer to the north pole, and near the equator, the data are highly interpolated.

Instrument: Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA)
Center Latitude: 90° N
Map Projection: Polar stereographic projection, extending southward to 55° N, with 0° longitude at the bottom
Resolution: 2 km/pixel
Scale: The distance across the center of this polar map projection is approximately 2,980 kilometers (1850 miles)
Download: Global Mosaics of Mercury Webpage

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Crater Chains Near an Unnamed Impact Crater

This unnamed complex crater in Mercury's northern hemisphere has produced crater chains. These chains form when a crater ejects material that then plummets towards the surface, producing more craters, often in long linear chains. Another set of crater chains can be seen within the large crater in this image, which most likely originated from the crater Hokusai. Since Hokusai's crater chains lie on top of the crater in this image, the crater Hokusai must be younger!

Date acquired: February 01, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 2001572
Image ID: 3436074
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 54.87°
Center Longitude: 6.15° E
Resolution: 234 meters/pixel
Scale: The large crater is 64 km in diameter (40 miles).
Incidence Angle: 54.9°
Emission Angle: 4.5°
Phase Angle: 50.4°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Ray Systems, From Hokusai Crater and Another Impact Crater

This region in Mercury's northern mid-latitudes shows the the rays of the crater Hokusai, along with the bright rays of a much smaller crater in the southeastern portion of the image. Rays are produced when material is excavated from a crater and "thrown" across the surface of a planet. The "butterfly" pattern of the smaller rayed crater is believed to be created during very low-angle impacts where material is ejected in an asymmetrical pattern.

Date acquired: February 01, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 2001682, 2001674, 2001678
Image ID: 3436082, 3436080, 3436081
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 47.96°
Center Longitude: 7.84° E
Resolution: 131 meters/pixel
Scale: The crater along the southwestern edge of the image is 12.3 km in diameter (7.6 miles).
Incidence Angle: 48.0°
Emission Angle: 0.1°
Phase Angle: 47.9°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

North Polar Terrain

This image highlights a rough region near Mercury's northern pole. It is challenging to image the terrain neat the northern pole, because the sun is always low on the horizon, causing long shadows. In this case, the shadows dramatically accentuate the topography.

Date acquired: June 22, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 248865807, 248865802, 248865804
Image ID: 2064058, 2064056, 2064057
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 84.33°
Center Longitude: 150.1° E
Resolution: 156 meters/pixel
Scale: 107.18 km (66.6 mi) diagonal image length
Incidence Angle: 84.3°
Emission Angle: 28.7°
Phase Angle: 84.9°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Enterprise Rupes and Rembrandt Basin

This false-color image is located just at the edge of the Rembrandt Basin. The basin edge crosses the newly named Enterprise Rupes. This is just a small meeting of two titans, as Enterprise extends for ~822 km (510 mi.), and Rembrandt is about 723 km (450 mi) in diameter. The edge of Rembrandt is loosely marked with a pink line, and Enterprise with a yellow line.

Date acquired: August 14, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 221845855, 221845875, 221845859
Image ID: 632458, 632463, 632459
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -36.15°
Center Longitude: 75.66° E
Resolution: 576 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is about 640 km (398 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 56.7°
Emission Angle: 0.5°
Phase Angle: 56.3°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Belgica Rupes

This image highlights the difference between the areas on and below the newly named Belgica Rupes. The arrows show Belgica's location, stretching along most of this image for about 764 km. Notice how some of the smaller, newer craters obscure the scarp line, while the older craters were clearly disrupted by the formation of Belgica Rupes.

The word 'rupes' comes from the latin word for cliff. All rupes on Mercury are named after vehicles of exploration. Belgica was a Belgian ship that explored the south pole of earth in 1898. Belgian Rupes is also very close to the southern pole of Mercury. It's name was approved by the IAU on June 6, 2013 along with 9 other rupes.

Date acquired: August 17, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 222063126, 222063130, 222063122
Image ID: 642667, 642668, 642666
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 3, 4, 6 (479, 558, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -52.80°
Center Longitude: 64.08° E
Resolution: 896 meters/pixel
Scale: Belgica Rupes extends 764 km (475 miles).
Incidence Angle: 63.3°
Emission Angle: 0.4°
Phase Angle: 63.2°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Impact Craters and a Scarp

Within the yellow box, three unnamed craters are stacked one upon another. The rim of the largest of the three is partially obscured, and the crater floor appears filled in, likely due to flooding by volcanism. Superposed on this crater is another younger crater, which has also been impacted by an even younger crater. To the north of the craters, a long scarp (yellow arrows) cuts across the region.

Date acquired: March 30, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 209960906
Image ID: 67407
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -63.00°
Center Longitude: 5.11° E
Resolution: 387 meters/pixel
Scale: The yellow box is ~60.5 km (37.6 mi) wide.
Incidence Angle: 63.5°
Emission Angle: 1.9°
Phase Angle: 61.8°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Raden Saleh Crater

This color image shows Raden Saleh crater in a new light. The crater's bright ejecta rays are superimposed on the surrounding terrain, including a patch of dark low reflectance material (LRM). In the lower right corner, rays from Qi Baishi crater are also visible.

This image was acquired as a targeted high-resolution 11-color image set. Acquiring 11-color targets is a new campaign that began in March 2013 and that utilizes all of the WAC's 11 narrow-band color filters. Because of the large data volume involved, only features of special scientific interest are targeted for imaging in all 11 colors.

Date acquired: May 08, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 10356510, 10356502, 10356498
Image ID: 4029993, 4029991, 4029990
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 2.04°
Center Longitude: 158.8° E
Resolution: 440 meters/pixel
Scale: Raden Saleh crater is about 23 km (14 miles) in diameter
Incidence Angle: 21.5°
Emission Angle: 38.1°
Phase Angle: 59.6°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Fuller Crater

From the USGS Astrogeology Science Center:

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Fuller for a crater on Mercury. For more information, see the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Hollows in a Crater's Central Peaks

Focusing on the central peaks of a large unnamed crater between Stravinsky and Velazquez, this image takes a close look at hollows on both the crater floor and the peaks. It is interesting to note that the hollows seem to follow the shape of the central peak ring, and are seen in lower concentrations on the crater floor. Another interesting observation is that the large hollow in the center of the image has a crisp, fresh appearance. This suggests that some hollows are relatively young features, and could be in the process of forming today.

Date acquired: May 10, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 213547274
Image ID: 237117
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 43.71°
Center Longitude: 290.9° E
Resolution: 21 meters/pixel
Scale: This image from corner to corner is approximately 15 km (9 mi.)
Incidence Angle: 68.0°
Emission Angle: 17.3°
Phase Angle: 85.4°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Waters Crater, et al

This WAC (Wide Angle Camera) image shows a large portion of the planet, known as a limb image. Prominent in this image is Waters crater in the top left corner, distinctive because of its bright rays and dark impact melt flow. Also identifiable in this picture are Beethoven basin, as well as the Bello crater, Rumi crater, Philoxenus crater, and partly visible: Palmer Rupes.

Date acquired: April 14, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 211284337
Image ID: 130687
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: -21.12°
Center Longitude: 249.8° E
Resolution: 884 meters/pixel
Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles).
Incidence Angle: 69.6°
Emission Angle: 63.7°
Phase Angle: 28.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Possible Pyroclastic Deposits from an Impact Crater

This false color image shows a bright fresh crater exhibiting possible evidence of a pyroclastic deposit on its eastern side (shown by the bright yellow); as well as a series of secondaries which have excavated sub-surface material resulting in the blues seen in the north-east corner of the image.

Date acquired: November 06, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 229105596, 229105592, 229105588
Image ID: 980566, 980565, 980564
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 25.42°
Center Longitude: 266.8° E
Resolution: 121 meters/pixel
Scale: The bright unnamed crater is about 33 km in diameter (21mi.)
Incidence Angle: 52.3°
Emission Angle: 16.8°
Phase Angle: 69.1°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Central Peaks of Hokusai Crater

This image focuses on the central peaks and impact melt of Hokusai crater. The contrast between the illuminated sides of these peaks and their shadows make this a striking image. It is interesting to note that the smooth floor surrounding the mountains was formed from cooling impact melt generated from the heat and energy of the original impact. The crater's name honors the Japanese painter and printmaker, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) who possessed a slight obsession with the famous volcano Mt. Fuji. Hokusai's most well known work is "Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa."

Date acquired: July 29, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 220460258
Image ID: 566860
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 58.03°
Center Longitude: 16.52° E
Resolution: 24 meters/pixel
Scale: The image is approximately 28 km wide (17 mi.)
Incidence Angle: 75.4°
Emission Angle: 28.5°
Phase Angle: 104.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Nine Newly-Named Craters

From the USGS Astrogeology Science Center:

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved new names for nine craters on Mercury: Bechet, Damer, David, Erté, Larrocha, Laxness, Monk, Rikyū, and Varma. For more information, see the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Duccio Crater

From the USGS Astrogeology Science Center:

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Duccio for a crater on Mercury. For more information, see the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Ten Newly-Named Rupes

From the USGS Astrogeology Science Center:

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved new names for ten rupēs on Mercury: Alvin Rupes, Belgica Rupes, Calypso Rupes, Carnegie Rupes, Duyfken Rupes, Eltanin Rupes, Enterprise Rupes, Nautilus Rupes, Palmer Rupes, and Terror Rupes. For more information, see the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Rays, Vents, and LRM near Picasso Crater

This color image emphasizes three major features of Mercury's surface: bright ejecta rays, explosive volcanic vents, and dark low reflectance material (LRM). The bright ray passing through the center of the image is part of Hokusai's immense system of rays. To the right, Picasso's arc-shaped pit is distinctive in color and contrasts with the patch of LRM to the crater's right.

Date acquired: September 17, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 224718677, 224718685, 224718679
Image ID: 769641, 769646, 769642
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 2.23°
Center Longitude: 46.34° E
Resolution: 1350 meters/pixel
Scale: Picasso crater is about 134 kilometers (83 miles) in diameter
Incidence Angle: 47.0°
Emission Angle: 0.2°
Phase Angle: 47.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Timgad Vallis

This image shows the fourth of five broad channels on Mercury for which names were recently approved (see Timgad Vallis). The valleys are named according to the theme of "abandoned cities (and towns and settlements) of antiquity" that was developed especially for these landforms.

The vallis shown in this figure is named for Timgad, a Roman colonial town in the Algerian Aurès Mountains, founded around 100 CE. The city was abandoned after an Arab invasion in the 8th century CE, before being covered by the Sahara. The city ruins were excavated in 1881. The city’s population may have been as great as 15,000. This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit.

Date Created: March 26, 2013
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Feature Latitude Range: 59.6° N to 62.0° N
Feature Longitude Range: 114.3° E to 119.9° E
Feature Diameter: 116 km
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Paestum Vallis

This image shows the fourth of five broad channels on Mercury for which names were recently approved (see Paestum Vallis). The valleys are named according to the theme of "abandoned cities (and towns and settlements) of antiquity" that was developed especially for these landforms.

The vallis shown in this figure is named for Paestum, a major Greco-Roman city in the Campania region of Italy. The city may have been founded in the 7th century BCE, but became a Roman city in 273 BCE. Paestum is renowned for its remaining Doric temples and a number of painted tombs, which date from the 5th century BCE. This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit.

Date Created: March 26, 2013
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Feature Latitude Range: 59.1° N to 61.0° N
Feature Longitude Range: 124.0° E to 128.5° E
Feature Diameter: 96 km
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Caral Vallis

This image shows the third of five broad channels on Mercury for which names were recently approved (see Caral Vallis). The valleys are named according to the theme of "abandoned cities (and towns and settlements) of antiquity" that was developed especially for these landforms.

The vallis shown in this figure is named for Caral-Supe, a large settlement in the Barranca province of Peru that has been dated as one of the most ancient cities of the Americas, being inhabited from ca. 2627-1977 BCE. At its peak, Caral supported a population in excess of 3,000. This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit.

Date Created: March 26, 2013
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Feature Latitude Range: 61.8° N to 63.3° N
Feature Longitude Range: 128.3° E to 130.6° E
Feature Diameter: 64 km
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Cahokia Vallis

This image shows the second of five broad channels on Mercury for which names were recently approved (see Cahokia Vallis). The valleys are named according to the theme of "abandoned cities (and towns and settlements) of antiquity" that was developed especially for these landforms.

The vallis shown in this figure is named for Cahokia Mounds, a Native American city that was the largest urban settlement in Mississippian culture (approx. 800-1500 CE). Cahokia contained hundreds of earthen mounds that supported the city's buildings. At its peak, the city may have been home to between 6,000 and 40,000 inhabitants. This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit.

Date Created: March 26, 2013
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Feature Latitude Range: 64.9° N to 66.7° N
Feature Longitude Range: 124.4° E to 128.5° E
Feature Diameter: 77 km
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Angkor Vallis

On April 30, 2013 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature approved new names for five broad valleys on Mercury (Angkor Vallis). These valleys have been interpreted by MESSENGER team scientists as having formed due to mechanical and thermal erosion of Mercury's surface by hot, low-viscosity, quickly-flowing lavas.

Each image this week will feature one of these five broad valleys, now termed "valles" (sing. "vallis") by the IAU. The valleys are named according to the theme of "abandoned cities (and towns and settlements) of antiquity" that was developed especially for these landforms.

The vallis shown in this figure is named for Angkor city in Cambodia, the largest pre-industrial city in the world, and once the seat of the Khmer Empire. At its peak, Angkor hosted over 1,000 temples, including the world's largest religious monument. With a suburban footprint of ca. 1,000 km², Angkor at one time may have had a population of over 1 million people. This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit.

Date Created: March 26, 2013
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Feature Latitude Range: 56.2° N to 58.4° N
Feature Longitude Range: 112.7° E to 115.6° E
Feature Diameter: 95 km
Resolution: 250 meters/pixel
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Knobby Plains in Tir Planitia

The plains that surround the Caloris basin are geologically complex. Today's featured images highlights some of the kilometer-scale knobs that surround much of the basin, which are thought to be blocks of material ejected by the Caloris basin-forming event. This area, a region within Tir Planitia, has also been subjected to compressional stresses, which resulted in the formation of scarps that cut across the scene. Unraveling the complex sequence of events in this region, which includes deposition of ejecta, possible volcanic resurfacing, and tectonic deformation, will be aided by the high-resolution targeted images to be collected in MESSENGER's second extended mission.

Date acquired: April 05, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 7472448
Image ID: 3825184
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 4.31°
Center Longitude: 185.6° E
Resolution: 61 meters/pixel
Scale: This scene is approximately 80 km (50 mi.) across
Incidence Angle: 73.6°
Emission Angle: 40.8°
Phase Angle: 114.1°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Degraded Impact Crater Rim

The rim of an unnamed peak-ring basin cuts across today's featured image. The basin is relatively degraded, but its rim still stands as a cliff over 1 km (0.6 miles) high. The face of this cliff, where downslope is toward the top of the image, is covered by a chain of secondary craters, whose formation on this steep slope led to somewhat asymmetrical crater shapes. It's hard to say which crater these secondaries originated from - the region is crossed by rays from Bronte, over 1700 km to the west, and Hokusai, over 2000 km to the east.

Date acquired: April 12, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 8108630
Image ID: 3870271
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 41.15°
Center Longitude: 289.3° E
Resolution: 22 meters/pixel
Scale: This scene is approximately 25 km (16 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 64.0°
Emission Angle: 15.0°
Phase Angle: 79.0°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

New Names for Five Mercurian Valles

From the USGS Astrogeology Science Center:

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved new names for five valles on Mercury: Angkor Vallis, Cahokia Vallis, Caral Vallis, Paestum Vallis, and Timgad Vallis. For more information, see the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

High-Resolution Image of Area Southwest of Gauguin Crater

This is the highest resolution image taken to date of the planet Mercury! It shows an area just outside of a 33-km-diameter (21-mi.-diameter) crater to the southwest of Gauguin crater. The smooth areas here are likely filled with melt that was made and ejected as the crater formed. Only five images at resolutions better than 10 m/pixel have been taken in MESSENGER's first two years of orbital operations. If MESSENGER's second extended mission is approved, many more high-resolution images like this are planned.

Date acquired: April 30, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 244286162
Image ID: 1738315
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 64.44°
Center Longitude: 257.5° E
Resolution: 7 meters/pixel
Scale: The diagonal of this image is approximately 11 km (7 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 70.0°
Emission Angle: 11.8°
Phase Angle: 81.8°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Degas Crater Rim

A portion of the rim of Degas crater is visible towards the top of this image. The hummocky texture of the interior crater wall is due to the slumping and downslope movement of material soon after the crater formed.

Date acquired: April 22, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 8944037
Image ID: 3929664
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 36.35° N
Center Longitude: 232.6° E
Resolution: 24 meters/pixel
Scale: The diagonal of this image is approximately 36 km (22 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 43.6°
Emission Angle: 12.7°
Phase Angle: 56.3°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Red Spot Volcanic Crater

At the center of today's image is a "red spot," an informal designation used by the MESSENGER team to refer to an area with overall high reflectance and higher than average reflectance at the longer-wavelength (red) end of the spectrum. Red spots are thought to be sites of explosive (pyroclastic) volcanic eruptions. Such deposits were analyzed in a 2011 paper. A close-up of the crater at the center of the red spot was presented in a previous Gallery image. The crater neat the left edge of the image with bright floor deposits (hollows) is Theophanes.

Date acquired: December 14, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 232328601, 232328621, 232328605
Image ID: 1134128, 1134133, 1134129
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -3.73°
Center Longitude: 223.8° E
Resolution: 725 meters/pixel
Scale: The scene is about 750 km (465 mi.) wide.
Incidence Angle: 44.7°
Emission Angle: 0.3°
Phase Angle: 44.8°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Low Reflectance Impact Crater

Today's image is centered on a large unnamed crater to the northeast of Dali. The crater has been flooded with smooth plains that have a relatively high reflectance and reddish color compared to the average surface of Mercury. The surrounding area, by contrast, has low reflectance and blue color.

Date acquired: July 09, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 218671363, 218671371, 218671365
Image ID: 480913, 480918, 480914
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: 47.75°
Center Longitude: 123.5° E
Resolution: 908 meters/pixel
Scale: The edges of the image are about 220 km (136 mi.) long.
Incidence Angle: 51.3°
Emission Angle: 0.4°
Phase Angle: 50.9°
The image was binned on the spacecraft from its original 1024 x 1024 pixel size to 256 square in order to reduce the volume of data that needed to be stored on the recorder and transmitted to Earth.

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Peak of (Almost) Eternal Light

Studies of the illumination conditions near the north and south poles of Mercury are of interest because they can be used to determine locations of permanent shadow, extremely cold places where ice deposits lurk. However, the illumination maps also reveal the locations that receive the maximum duration of sunlight during a Mercury solar day. A "peak of eternal light" that is illuminated continuously for an entire solar day would be a favorable target for a lander, because solar power would be available all the time. So far, no such peak of eternal light has been identified at Mercury's south pole. The spot that get the most illumination (about 82%), is located at 89° S, 50.7° E. This place is indicated by the arrow in today's image.

This image was acquired as part of MDIS's campaign to monitor the south polar region of Mercury. By imaging the polar region approximately every four MESSENGER orbits as illumination conditions change, features that were in shadow on earlier orbits can be discerned and any permanently shadowed areas can be identified after repeated imaging over one solar day. During MESSENGER's one-year primary mission, MDIS's WAC was used to monitor the south polar region for the first Mercury solar day (176 Earth days), and MDIS's NAC made repeated images of the south polar region during the second Mercury solar day.

Date acquired: December 24, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 233190744
Image ID: 1175166
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -88.17°
Center Longitude: 35.40° E
Resolution: 298 meters/pixel
Scale: The large crater is Chao Meng-Fu, about 129 km (80 mi.) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 91.1°
Emission Angle: 7.1°
Phase Angle: 95.6°
Projection: Polar stereographic projection centered at 90° S, with
0° toward the top and 180° toward the bottom.

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Snorri Crater

The bright, rayed crater in this image is one of the most prominent on Mercury. Named Snorri, after an Icelandic writer and poet, the crater was discovered in images returned by the Mariner 10 spacecraft. A color view of Snorri and surroundings was presented in a previous Gallery image (PIA14233).

Date acquired: October 14, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 227045180
Image ID: 882221
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -9.42°
Center Longitude: 277.1° E
Resolution: 195 meters/pixel
Scale: Snorri is about 21 km (13 mi.) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 22.4°
Emission Angle: 51.0°
Phase Angle: 73.4°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alver Crater

Today's image features a perspective view of the Alver crater, recently named for Estonian poet Betti Alver (1906-1989). Alver's husband was imprisoned and died in Siberia after World War II, leading Alver to stop writing poetry for many years in protest of Soviet rule. She resumed writing poetry in the 1960s, composing the notable 1966 collection Tähetund or "Starry Hour."

To create this image, a portion of the MDIS monochrome basemap was draped over a digital elevation model. The topography has been exaggerated by 5 times to accentuate the crater rim and central peak ring. The view is looking towards the southeast. Alver is a complex crater in the southern hemisphere of Mercury. This perspective view highlights the smooth nature of the basin floor relative to the ejecta blanket and surrounding terrain.

Instrument: Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -67.0°
Center Longitude: 77.9° E
Basemap Resolution: approximately 250 meters/pixel
Digital Elevation Model: Produced by MESSENGER Participating Scientist Bob Gaskell based on MDIS images
Vertical Exaggeration: 5 times actual
Scale: Alver crater is 151.5 km (94.1 miles) across

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Hurley and L'Engle Craters

Repeat imaging of Mercury's south pole has revealed that a number of craters in the south contain permanently shadowed regions. Because Mercury has only a very small axial tilt, the topography of crater rims, as accentuated in the inset image (shown with five times the vertical exaggeration of the actual topography), blocks sunlight from ever reaching portions of the floors of some polar craters.

This image features two such permanently shadowed craters which were recently named. Hurley crater, named for Australian James Francis Hurley (1885-1962), photographer of the famous Shackleton Expedition to Antarctica, is 67 km (42 mi.) wide and located within 3° of Mercury's south pole. The slightly smaller (62 km or 39 mi. wide) L'Engle crater is located to the east of Hurley. (Note that in the inset perspective image the view is towards the south). L'Engle crater is named for American author Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007), best known for her young-adult novels including 'A Wrinkle in Time'. 'A Wrinkle in Time' blends adventure with quantum physics as it follows young heroine Meg on her journey through space to rescue her scientist father.

This primary image was acquired as part of MDIS's campaign to monitor the south polar region of Mercury. By imaging the polar region approximately every four MESSENGER orbits as illumination conditions change, features that were in shadow on earlier orbits can be discerned and any permanently shadowed areas can be identified after repeated imaging over one solar day. During MESSENGER's one-year primary mission, MDIS's WAC was used to monitor the south polar region for the first Mercury solar day (176 Earth days), and MDIS's NAC made repeated images of the south polar region during the second Mercury solar day. The inset image is a portion of the MDIS monochrome map draped over the Gaskell digital elevation model (with 5 times vertical exaggeration), as was also done for Monday's featured image.

Date acquired: August 03, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 220899377
Image ID: 587366
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: -85.07°
Center Longitude: 67.57° E
Scale: The inset box is about 280 km (174 mi.) wide
Incidence Angle: 85.0°
Emission Angle: 23.4°
Phase Angle: 94.8°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Potential Volcanic Vent in Glinka Crater

The image above shows a potential volcanic vent within the crater Glinka. The resolution of this image is more than two times better than previous images of the same area. The crater Glinka was named for the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857). He is regarded as one of the fathers of Russian classical music. Glinka wrote several operas, piano pieces, orchestral works, and chamber music. His piece called "The Patriotic Song" was adopted as Russia's national anthem from 1990-2000.

Date acquired: November 26, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 262402263
Image ID: 3026496
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 14.96°
Center Longitude: 247.4° E
Resolution: 44 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is 46 km (29 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 67.5°
Emission Angle: 3.1°
Phase Angle: 64.5°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Donalaitis Crater

The recently named Donalaitis crater near the center of this image exhibits bright reddish deposits on its floor, which contrast starkly with the more relatively blue hues of the surrounding terrain. Donelaitis crater was named for Kristijonas Donelaitis (1714-1780), a Lithuanian poet. His classic poem, 'The Seasons (Metai)', describes the lives of Lithuanian peasants, who at the time of its writing were being pushed into serfdom as most of their country was annexed by the Russian Empire.

Date acquired: August 21, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 222408661, 222408681, 222408665
Image ID: 658976, 658981, 658977
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -51.81°
Center Longitude: 39.11° E
Resolution: 874 meters/pixel
Scale: Donelaitis crater is 84.5 km (52.5 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 56.2°
Emission Angle: 0.5°
Phase Angle: 55.7°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Lovecraft and Roerich Craters

Today's image features a perspective view of two of the newly named craters near Mercury's south pole. To create this image, a portion of the MDIS monochrome basemap was draped over a digital elevation model. The topography has been exaggerated by 7 times to accentuate the rugged terrain formed by numerous overlapping craters.

In the foreground, sunlight highlights much of the rim of the dark Lovecraft crater, named for the American horror author Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937). The larger Roerich crater, named for the Russian painter Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947), lies slightly to the north of Lovecraft crater. One of Lovecraft's most famous works, 'At the Mountains of Madness' takes place on a scientific expedition to the south pole, and references Roerich's artwork--in particular, his paintings of the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayan Mountains. Portions of Lovecraft crater are shrouded in permanent darkness, and host radar-bright material. Similar deposits at the north pole have been associated with water ice and unusually dark material.

Instrument: Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -85.10°
Center Longitude: 284.8° E
Basemap Resolution: approximately 250 meters/pixel
Digital Elevation Model: Produced by MESSENGER Participating Scientist Bob Gaskell based on MDIS images
Vertical Exaggeration: 7 times actual
Scale: Roerich crater is 111.7 km (69.4 miles) across.

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Complex Crater Anaglyph

As promised in yesterday's featured image, here is another 3D anaglyph that was created from recently acquired images. View it with a pair of red-cyan 3D glasses to get the full effect and to see deep into this crater. The topography appears exaggerated in the stereo view of this roughly one-kilometer deep crater, accentuating the terraces on the crater's walls and the central peak, topped with hollows, rising from the crater's floor. This image has been rotated 90° to the right (such that north is to the right) for better viewing with the red-cyan glasses.

Date acquired: March 22, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET) (since January 8, 2013): 6291928, 6292156
Image ID: 3741269, 3741270
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 25.11°
Center Longitude: 266.4° E
Resolution: 36 meters/pixel
Scale: The diameter of this crater is 31 kilometers (19 miles)
Incidence Angle: 44.7°, 44.8°
Emission Angle: 40.5°, 35.5°
Phase Angle: 72.9°, 78.1°

Photo credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington