Get Ready for an Adventure!

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Caption:

Take a look at Adventure Rupes in 3D! Adventure is a lobate scarp , formed when one block of crust was thrust forward over another. This scarp cuts across a degraded, ~60-km-diameter (37-mi.-diameter) crater. By measuring the change in the shape of a once-circular crater, scientists can estimate the amount of horizontal shortening across the scarp.

This image pair was 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: August 24, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 51222009, 51223918
Image ID: 6934048, 6934050
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -65.1°
Center Longitude: 294.0° E
Resolution: 139 meters/pixel
Scale: The large crater at the center of the image is approximately 60 km (37 mi.) in diameter.
Incidence Angle: 69.6°, 69.7°
Emission Angle: 16.0°, 15.5°
Phase Angle: 85.6°, 66.7°
North is to the right in this image.

Background Info:

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 .

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