Find a pair of red-cyan 3D glasses to fully view this image. This anaglyph image was created from the two images featured yesterday, and shows the central peak structure of a 60-kilometer crater that is covered with hollows. In the anaglyph, the topography of the surface appears exaggerated; the height of this mountain of hollows is roughly about a kilometer. The image has also been rotated 90° to the right (such that north is to the right), to make the 3D effect easier to view on the screen.
While you've got the 3D glasses, check out these previous 3D images below and come back tomorrow for a new 3D image.
- Kertesz crater
- Rembrandt basin
- Beagle Rupes
These images were acquired as a targeted set of stereo images. Targeted stereo observations are acquired at resolutions much higher than that of the 200-meter/pixel stereo base map. These targets acquired with the NAC enable the detailed topography of Mercury's surface to be determined for a local area of interest.
Date acquired: March 24, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET) (since January 8, 2013): 6465097, 6465230
Image ID: 3753557, 3753558
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 36.20°
Center Longitude: 244.2° E
Resolution: 24 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is roughly 30 kilometers (19 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 61.7°, 61.7°
Emission Angle: 21.1°, 7.9°
Phase Angle: 65.8°, 69.6°
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. 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.