Mercury, you’re in pretty good shape for the shape that you’re in! :

This vintage photo of Mercury taken by our Mariner 10 in 1974 highlights its craterous surface. The planet’s plentiful pockmarks are the result of run-ins with meteors, comets, and even asteroids early in Mercury’s life.

Some impact craters appear surrounded by a circular fan of rays. These “crater rays” happen when a collision is so powerful that it throws planetary soil far from the impact site. The dust settles in lines, forming the straight streaks spanning the pit.

Many of these craters and marks on Mercury’s surface are named after artists, including Dr. Seuss.

Image description:
A two-image swipe through of one hemisphere of Mercury against black space. The planet is shadowed towards its center and illuminated around the edges. Its surface is blotchy, variable shades of gray, and covered in craters of all sizes. Some craters—notably one in the middle of the planet—are surrounded by white, streaky crater rays.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/USGS

#NASA #Mariner10 #Mercury #SolarSystem #DrSeuss #Planets #Space

[ INFORMATION DATA: 17 April 2024 ]

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