Mercury Imagery

This photomosaic of Mercury was constructed of 18 photos taken at 42-second intervals by Mariner 10 six hours after the spacecraft flew past the planet on March 29, 1974. The north pole is at the top and the equator extends from left to right about two-thirds down from the top. A large circular basin, about 1300 kilometers (800 miles) in diameter, is emerging from the day-night terminator at left center. Bright rayed craters are prominent in this view of Mercury. One such ray seems to join in both east-west and north-south directions. Taken from a distance of about 210,000 kilometers (130,000 miles), the pictures were computer-enhanced at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Image and description from JPL press release photo #P-14580.

Eighteen pictures, taken at 42-second intervals by Mariner 10's two TV cameras, were computer-enhanced at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and fashioned into this photomosaic of Mercury. The pictures were taken during a 13-minute period when Mariner was 200,000 kilometers (124,000 miles) and six hours away from Mercury on it's approach to the planet March 29, 1974. About two-thirds of the portion of Mercury seen in this mosaic is in the southern hemisphere. The cratered surface is somewhat similar to the cratered highlands of the Moon. Largest of the craters are about 200 kilometers (124 miles) in diameter.

Image and description from NASA/JPL press release photo #14470.

This is a photo of Caloris Basin, the largest structural feature viewed on Mercury by the Mariner 10 spacecraft. The basin is 1300 km in diameter dominated by a ring of irregular mountains called the Caloris Montes formation. The Caloris Basin was probably formed by an impact event, similar to those that formed large impact basins on the Moon.

vp 10/20/98