Ride Along with MESSENGER: Movie 2

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Caption:

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This movie was assembled from 289 individual NAC images. Most of the images were acquired four seconds apart, the fastest that MDIS is capable of taking full resolution images, but this movie is shown with 15 images per second. The movie begins centered on the 191-km diameter Schubert basin .

These images were acquired as part of the NAC ride-along imaging campaign. When data volume is available and MDIS is not acquiring images for its other campaigns, high-resolution NAC images are obtained of the surface. These images are designed not to interfere with other instrument observations but take full advantage of periods during the mission when extra data volume is available.

Date acquired: October 04, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 23236906-23238062
Image ID: 4945775-4946063
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Initial Center Latitude: -42.67°
Initial Center Longitude: 306.1° E
Final Center Latitude: -50.20°
Final Center Longitude: 311.9° E
Resolution: 176-199 meters/pixel
Scale: The first image is 179 kilometers (111 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 74.3°-79.9°
Emission Angle: 3.6°-0.8°
Phase Angle: 77.9°-79.4°

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. 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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