Date acquired: March 14, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 37087259
Image ID: 5930668
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 78.14°
Center Longitude: 278.3° E
Resolution: 16 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is approximately 10.5 km (6.5 mi.) across.
Incidence Angle: 78.4°
Emission Angle: 39.7°
Phase Angle: 118.1°

Of Interest: This stunning image shows a portion of the sharp rim of an unnamed, ~28 km (17 mi.) diameter complex crater. The upper right portion of the image lies outside of the crater, and the lower left portion of the image lies on the crater floor. The crater at the center of the image lies on the crater wall. North is to the right.

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.