This view off the limb of Mercury provides a unique oblique view of the crater Verdi. Topographic variation can be seen along Mercury's limb. Limb images can be used to supplement topographic measurements made using MLA, occultations, and stereo imaging.

On March 17, 2011 (March 18, 2011, UTC), MESSENGER became the first spacecraft ever to orbit the planet Mercury. The mission is currently in its commissioning phase, during which spacecraft and instrument performance are verified through a series of specially designed checkout activities. In the course of the one-year primary mission, the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation will unravel the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. Visit the Why Mercury? section of this website to learn more about the science questions that the MESSENGER mission has set out to answer.

Date acquired: June 03, 2011
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 215589743
Image ID: 333351
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: 64°
Center Longitude: 190° E
Scale: Verdi is 145 km (90 mi) in diameter

These images are from MESSENGER, a NASA Discovery mission to conduct the first orbital study of the innermost planet, Mercury. For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy.