PIA19014: The Sun Also Rises
 Target Name:  Mercury
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  MESSENGER
 Spacecraft:  MESSENGER
 Instrument:  MDIS - Narrow Angle
 Product Size:  1246 x 1248 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Johns Hopkins University/APL
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA19014.tif (1.557 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA19014.jpg (93.5 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

Most of this 13.3-km-diameter (8.3-mi.-diameter) crater, located approximately 265 km (165 mi.) northwest of Angkor Vallis, is engulfed in shadows. The morning Sun was low in the sky (high incidence angle) when this image was acquired, emphasizing the topography. Two large ejecta blocks located north of the shadowed rim near the right hand side of the image cast long shadows. The larger of these blocks is approximately 100 m in diameter. Using trigonometry and knowledge of the incidence angle, the height of the block can be calculated: ~27 m (~89 ft.).

This image was acquired as part of the MDIS low-altitude imaging campaign. During MESSENGER's second extended mission, the spacecraft makes a progressively closer approach to Mercury's surface than at any previous point in the mission, enabling the acquisition of high-spatial-resolution data. For spacecraft altitudes below 350 kilometers, NAC images are acquired with pixel scales ranging from 20 meters to as little as 2 meters.

Date acquired: October 21, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 56196123
Image ID: 7284295
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 62.21°
Center Longitude: 105.5° E
Resolution: 12 meters/pixel
Scale: The large crater is approximately 13.3 km (8.3 mi.) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 82.6°
Emission Angle: 0.1°
Phase Angle: 82.7°

The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. During the first two years of orbital operations, MESSENGER acquired over 150,000 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is capable of continuing orbital operations until early 2015.

For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy.

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

Image Addition Date:
2015-01-12