Date acquired: November 13, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 26687033
Image ID: 5191249
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: 36.25°
Center Longitude: 243.4° E
Resolution: 17 meters/pixel
Scale: This image is 17 kilometers (11 miles) across
Incidence Angle: 68.3°
Emission Angle: 3.0°
Phase Angle: 65.3°

Of Interest: The steep walls of the crater Damer are highlighted in today's image. Named for the English sculptor Anne Seymour Damer (1749-1828) earlier this year, the 60-kilometer-diameter crater is distinguished by a central peak covered with hollows.

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.