The crater shown here is Xiao Zhao, a relatively young crater with a prominent system of bright rays. This image is extremely similar to one acquired previously, and that is by design. Certain features, like Xiao Zhao and locations with hollows, are being repeatedly imaged to look for any slight hints of change.
This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.
Date acquired: December 19, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 264389643
Image ID: 3167776
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 10.64°
Center Longitude: 123.9° E
Resolution: 58 meters/pixel
Scale: Xiao Zhao has a diameter of 24 kilometers (15 miles).
Incidence Angle: 20.3°
Emission Angle: 40.8°
Phase Angle: 58.5°
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. Visit the Why Mercury? section of this website to learn more about the key science questions that the MESSENGER mission is addressing. During the one-year primary mission, MDIS acquired 88,746 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is now in a year-long extended mission, during which plans call for the acquisition of more than 80,000 additional images to support MESSENGER's science goals.
For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy.