Date acquired: February 12, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 2982634, 2983238
Image ID: 3505740, 3505741
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -11.6°
Center Longitude: 329.1° E
Resolution: 76 meters/pixel
Scale: Kuiper is 62 km (39 mi.) in diameter
Incidence Angle: 32.4°, 32.6°
Emission Angle: 42.3°, 37.3°
Phase Angle: 72.6°, 69.9°

Of Interest: Dust off those red-cyan 3D glasses again to see Kuiper crater in three dimensions! This anaglyph image was created from two separate images taken under slightly different viewing conditions. This images shows the young Kuiper crater, the impact melt covering its floor, its tall central peaks, and its slumping walls. North is to the left in this image.

These images were acquired as a targeted set of stereo images. Targeted stereo observations are acquired at resolutions much higher than that of the 200-meter/pixel stereo base map. These targets acquired with the NAC enable the detailed topography of Mercury's surface to be determined for a local area of interest.

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.