Date acquired: July 29, 2014
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 48998353
Image ID: 6776362
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
WAC filter: 7 (748 nanometers)
Center Latitude: -57.13°
Center Longitude: 80.69° E
Resolution: 477 meters/pixel
Scale: Alver crater is approximately 152 km (94 miles) in diameter
Center Incidence Angle: 84.8°
Center Emission Angle: 71.4°
Center Phase Angle: 91.5°

Of Interest: Alver crater again graces this image of Mercury's limb, this time seen just on the horizon. Secondary crater chains that scour the surface and lead toward the top right of the scene appear to be from the Rembrandt basin to the north.

This image was acquired as part of MDIS's limb imaging campaign. Once per week, MDIS captures images of Mercury's limb, with an emphasis on imaging the southern hemisphere limb. These limb images provide information about Mercury's shape and complement measurements of topography made by the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) of Mercury's northern hemisphere.

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.