Global View of Mercury – Animation
MESSENGER was a robotic space probe that orbited Mercury between 2011 and 2015. During that time, it captured detailed images of the planet’s surface, mapped its topography, and studied its mineral composition, gravity, magnetic field, and tenuous atmosphere.
Data for this animation provided by: NASA, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Arizona State University, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
For More Information
See NASA.gov
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Animator
- Dan Gallagher (KBRwyle)
Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Related pages
First Global Topographic Model of Mercury
Oct. 13th, 2016
Read moreNASA’s MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission has unveiled the first global digital elevation model (DEM) of Mercury, revealing in stunning detail the topography across the entire innermost planet and paving the way for scientists to fully characterize Mercury’s geologic history.In the colorized map, purple and blue colors indicate lower elevations while yellows and red show high elevations. A global elevation map of Mercury. For More InformationSee [http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/maps/mercury-messenger-global-digital-elevation-model](http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/maps/mercury-messenger-global-digital-elevation-model) Related pages
Untitled
May 12th, 2015
Read moreAfter four years of exploring Mercury from orbit, NASA’s MESSENGER mission comes to an end. Mercury's surface is heavily cratered like our moon. This elevation map shows high terrain in white, and low-lying areas in purple. Central peaks within Mercury's Abedin crater surround a curious depression (center), which may be volcanic in origin. MESSENGER found temperatures in sunlit areas (red) and shadowed regions (blue, purple) at Mercury's north pole could differ by more than 1,000°F. The colors in this image represent different types of geologic material seen in one of Mercury's impact basins. Mercury is colored in the image on the right to show the diverse array of minerals on its surface. Related pages
High-Resolution View of Mercury from Messenger Flyby 1
Oct. 22nd, 2013
Read moreThis high-resolution mosaic of images shows Mercury as it appeared to Messenger as the spacecraft departed the planet following the mission's first flyby of Mercury. This mosaic resembles the historic first image transmitted back to Earth after that flyby and shows a portion of the planet never previously seen by spacecraft. The Messenger mission is on track to become the first spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury. Mosaic of images shows a full disk view of Mercury For More InformationSee [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA13840](http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA13840) Related pages
Untitled
Feb. 4th, 2013
Read moreThe closest planet to the sun seems an odd place to find enough ice to bury a city. The planet's north pole gets little sunlight, especially in deep craters, as seen in this animation that simulates one Mercury day. Mercury is hot. Temperatures top 440 degrees Fahrenheit even in areas (red) of its north pole. Yet some spots (blue) stay below -200 degrees. Cold, shadowed craters at Mercury's north pole, such as Kandinsky and Prokofiev, can be three miles deep and may never receive any sunlight. How does Mercury get its ice? The first step may be a crash landing in one of its craters by an icy comet or asteroid. Step 2: Ice and frozen chemicals scatter across the crater, including areas that are always shaded from sunlight. Step 3: Ice remains in the shadows but disappears from areas that get sunlight. In time, a dark, insulating layer (black) may cover the ice. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/media/PressConf20121129.html) Related pages