* Astronomy

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Rembrandt Crater

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RE: MESSENGER

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

These two images were captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) (right image) and by the Wide Angle Camera (WAC) (left image) when the Messenger spaceprobe was 137,000 kilometres away from Mercury.
The image scale is 24.5 kilometres/pixel (WAC) and 3.5 kilometres/pixel (NAC) .

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

This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, when it was 15,900 kilometres away from Mercury.
This image shows the terminator, the dividing line between the sunlit and night side of the planet.
The image scale is 410 metres/pixel.

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

This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, when it was 15,400 kilometres away from Mercury.
The image shows relatively young expanse of smooth plains material that has been modified extensively by tectonic forces. The edge of a double ringed impact basin can be seen at the top right.
The image scale is 400 metres/pixel.

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The wide angle camera was able to capture a new basin that has never been seen before. Around 160miles in diameter it has a double-ring structure. Concentric troughs caused by forces pulling the surface apart are visible in the basin and are a rare discovery.
A number of pit craters, that are arc-shaped depressions, were pictured by Messenger. Unlike impact craters, pit craters are rimless, often irregularly shaped, and steep-sided, and they display no associated ejecta or lava flows.

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

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This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, when it was 31,500 kilometres away from Mercury.
This image shows the many craters on the surface of the planet,
one of which (highlighted in the box-out) looks like a giant paw print.
The newly discovered pit-floor crater can be seen in the centre of the expanded main image.
The image scale is 800 metres/pixel.

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

This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, when it was 23,300 kilometres away from Mercury.
The image shows a 134 kilometre-wide crater with small secondary craters that radiate outward from the central structure.
The image scale is 600 metres/pixel.

Blobrana · L

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

This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, when it was 15,400 kilometres away from Mercury.
This image shows a 160 kilometre-wide double-ring impact basin. The impact basin was near to the terminator.
The image scale is 400 metres/pixel.

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

This image was captured on the 29th September, 2009, by the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) aboard the Messenger spaceprobe, about 75 minutes before MESSENGER's closest approach, when it was 15,500 kilometres away from Mercury.
This image shows a 190 kilometre-wide crater with a kilometre high scarp bisecting the crater. The crater was near to the terminator which nicely shows the rough terrain.
The image scale is 400 metres/pixel.

Ed ~ The expanded view includes an image (left) from MESSENGER's 2nd flyby.