MESSENGER Approaches Mercury
Explanation:
Two days ago, the MESSENGER spacecraft became only the
second in human history to swoop past Mercury.
The last spacecraft to visit the Sun's closest planet was
Mariner 10 over
35 years ago.
Mariner 10 was not able to
photograph Mercury's entire surface, and the
images it did send back raised many questions.
Therefore, much about
planet Mercury
remains unknown.
This week's
MESSENGER
flyby was only the first of three.
Over the next few years
MESSENGER will swing past
Mercury twice more and finally orbit in 2011,
but MESSENGER is currently moving too fast to enter orbit around
Mercury now.
This image was taken by
MESSENGER two days ago upon approach to Mercury.
Many
detailed images of Mercury
are expected to be sent back over the next few days.
The data acquired by
MESSENGER will help
better understand how Mercury's
surface was formed, and why it is so dense.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
