Date acquired: October 13, 2012
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 258602268
Image ID: 2756208
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 37.24°
Center Longitude: 321.4° E
Resolution: 21 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is 25 km (16 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 73.2°
Emission Angle: 27.3°
Phase Angle: 100.5°

Of Interest: The image above shows the continuous ejecta from an unnamed crater that is just outside of the frame to the north, located on the rim of Soseki crater. A pond of solidified impact melt appears smooth compared to the rough ejecta deposit. Impact melt is often found in substantial volumes outside of a crater rim when the parent crater forms on a slope, such as that of Soseki's rim, which allows melt to escape downslope.

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.

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.

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

For information regarding the use of MESSENGER images, see the image use policy.