More images from Mercury coming through...

[SaveElmer]

As NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft approached Mercury on January 14, 2008, it captured this view of the planet's rugged, cratered landscape illuminated obliquely by the sun. This image was taken from a distance of approximately 11,000 miles, about 56 minutes before the spacecraft's closest encounter with Mercury. It shows a region 300 miles across including craters less than a mile wide. The large, shadow-filled, double ringed crater to the upper right was glimpsed by Mariner 10 more than three decades ago and named Vivaldi, after the Italian composer. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/index.html

[Warpy]

1. It looks like the newer craters are deep, with sharp sides

while older craters have been flattened out somehow.

Either the surface is somewhat plastic, or the solar wind is eroding the surface.

It would be interesting to get a good view of the dark side for comparison.

[Touchdown]

2. Lower left corner looks like Mickey Mouse.

Of a 4 toed hoofprint with some really big middle toes.

[dorkulon]

4. The Mouse People of Mercury! /nt

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Oh, yeah! I've been meaning to check this out.

Thanks! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[alfredo]

5. Beautiful

[TomClash]

6. Rough terrain - like John McCain's face nt