Sunrise on Mercury

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Caption:

Today's image features a large area near the south pole of Mercury. On the right side of this image, going from top to bottom are both the Terror Rupes and Eltanin Rupes. In the middle of the right edge is Alver , a peak-ring crater. Below Alver is Disney , a crater named after the animator Walt Disney.

Date acquired: June 16, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 45232494, 45232490, 45232488
Image ID: 6510119, 6510117, 6510116
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filters: 9, 7, 6 (996, 748, 433 nanometers) in red, green, and blue
Center Latitude: -83.00°
Center Longitude: 40.17° E
Resolution: 2988 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is 1585 km (985 miles) across.
Center Incidence Angle: 85.3°
Center Emission Angle: 14.1°
Center Phase Angle: 99.4°

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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