Mercury (the planet not the metal)

[Siggie]

Messenger is 3 days (1.3 million kilometers away) from Mercury. It was already able to take this photo from that distance. I can't wait for the photos it will return as it gets closer.

This is the third pass at Mercury. It's eventually going to settle into orbit and then the super hires photos of the surface will come in.
I will update this thread with photos and information.

ON this final pass, the spacecraft will slow enough that it will be able to enter orbit around Mercury in March 2011. The nominal lifespan of the mission will be for one solid (Earth) year of observations, and will map the planet with 18 meter resolution. That’s the size of a house.

This is the Messenger website where there are more photos and more information about the mission.

[jgk3]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

It feels sort of like when you're on a boat or ship crossing a large distance in the sea or ocean. You've seen no land for a long time, and now suddenly, you spot the silouette of mountains in the distance. As you draw nearer to it, you become more and more amazed by it, and then, you finally reach it and it was everything you thought it would be. Awesome.

[Siggie]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

It's a great shot huh? I think I like the fact that it's a crescent better. I think it fits that "glimmer" of something great on the horizon idea perfectly.

[jgk3]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

Yes it does, though I find the cresent shape to always give an aura of mystery. It is a place in this almost total pitch black space where day can exist. I know that it spins very slowly around its axis, how long are their days, the equivalent of 52 Earth days or something? And it gets infernally hot on the side of the planet where it is day, and deathly cold on the side that is night. Who needs mythology in the 21st century when you know about your own solar system :P

[Gavur]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

Looks like theres a couple of storms moving about.

[Haykakan]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

Looks like theres a couple of storms moving about.

I don't think mercury has a atmosphere so whatever your looking at are probably not storms. The huge molten metal core of the planet is interesting though. That planet is way smaller then earth yet its metal core is much bigger then ours. Previous missions to other planets revealed very surprising findings so i am somewhat hopefull that something interesting will be discovered but i have my dougts about how interesting this planet can be.

[Siggie]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

I don't think mercury has a atmosphere so whatever your looking at are probably not storms. The huge molten metal core of the planet is interesting though. That planet is way smaller then earth yet its metal core is much bigger then ours. Previous missions to other planets revealed very surprising findings so i am somewhat hopefull that something interesting will be discovered but i have my dougts about how interesting this planet can be.

It is an interesting planet. The core I think the website said makes of 40% of volume. It's a massive planet relative to size; ie very dense.

[Haykakan]

Re: Mercury (the planet not the metal)

It is an interesting planet. The core I think the website said makes of 40% of volume. It's a massive planet relative to size; ie very dense.

Yeh i know Siggie but being dense alone doesnt make one interesting, I know lots of dense people and they are hardly interesting hehe.