MESSENGER Mercury Updates.

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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Unless you are a meteor nut like me, I wouldn't stay up for the,... I expect rates tonight to be 4 -6 per hours, though the Draconids are always capable of a surprise. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>From here we cannot see a naffing thing. It's overcast & is raining on & off. Not heavy, but a bit of rain every now & again. I expect Chris, it's not a lot different for you as you do not live too far from me, though you are a little further north on the other side of the North Sea.&nbsp; </strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I am really looking forward to tomorrow's MESSENGER downloads. I hope amongst the 'high priority' downloads will be the full frame approaching crescent, receding gibbous (including the six frame gibbous mosaic or at least frames from the prev unseen side) & also the NAC Mosaic of the approaching crescent. The approaching crescent with that basin & the complex of Scarps is already an amazing revelation yet those were only on the navigation images!!!!! Shame they could not have squeezed one more in before turning MESSENGER for the encounter.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Anyway soon we get to see Mercury in full resolution again from tomorrow.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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efron_24

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<p>Yep.. I am going to sleep..</p><p>Even if the entering meteor would be visual here.. it will be hours from now</p><p>and my eyes are small !!! I will look forward to all updates tomorrow</p><p>from Africa and Southern where the falling stone is likely to put up a great show</p><p>and from Mercury.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
3

3488

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<p><strong><font size="2">Hi all,</font></strong></p><p><font size="2"><strong>GREAT NEWS</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I have just been talking to Dr Ralph McNutt @ the JHU&nbsp;/ APL&nbsp;on the telephone for the last 20 minutes & the encounter was 100% successful. MESSENGER performed flawlessly throughout. Telemetry shows that all 1,225 MDIS images were taken, all non imaging data was obtained & 23 High priority ones of the crescent & a few from the receding side have made it safely back. Pointing of the instruments were 100% through out. No misaimings, no missing gaps.<br /></strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>The encounter is a 100% SUCCESS. All instruments worked perfectly&nbsp;with no safing events.</strong></font> </p><p><font size="2"><strong>Apparently the team are agasp & are literally drooling over the images. There are new features never seen before on Mercury, particularly on the outbound side the swathe Mariner 10 did not see.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Exciting, exciting exciting. </strong></font><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/1/ef7ebf88-1576-479a-a1e9-e034dbab8a8d.Medium.gif" alt="" /><br />#</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Hopefull some will appear on the website later. Ralph did say some images are likely to be posted early, due to the excellent communications with MESSENGER.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I'm absolutely ecstatic. Mercury is now 95.7% imaged.</strong></font> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/3/9/33969a6d-f9e1-4964-b908-3e28edf77c88.Medium.gif" alt="" /><br />#</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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efron_24

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<p>almost 96% of the planet photographed</p><p>I can not wait.. to see it ALL<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
F

franontanaya

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>There are new features never seen before on Mercury</DIV></p><p><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-yell.gif" border="0" alt="Yell" title="Yell" /> </p><p>Relativity is when waiting a few hours to see some images seems a longer time than waiting years of travel to get there.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
3

3488

Guest
<p><font size="5">Mercury as never seen before</font>.</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Departing Gibbous.</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2">The&nbsp;left section approx one&nbsp;half of the view here&nbsp;was imaged by Mariner 10, but the sun was shining from the left during those encounters in 1974. The bright crater just south of dead centre is Kuiper, which was close to the PM terminator in Mariner 10 images, here is near noon. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">The&nbsp;portion on the right is newly imaged terrain, never before seen by human eyes. The bright rayed crater to the south east was radar imaged at very low resolution from Earth, but now for the first time ever has been seen properly.</font></strong><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/3/4/5383d7c2-2df2-4b00-94f4-a4d78281257f.Medium.png" alt="" /></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
3

3488

Guest
<p><font size="4">Just had a go at cropping & enlargening the previously unimaged part.</font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/6/3fab7fad-a6ee-480a-96b8-1e2e01fd3154.Medium.png" alt="" /></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />"A striking characteristic of this newly imaged area is the large pattern of rays that extend from the northern region of Mercury to regions south of Kuiper. This extensive ray system appears to emanate from a relatively young crater newly imaged by MESSENGER" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi all,GREAT NEWSJust been talking to Ralph Mcnutt @ the JHU&nbsp;/ APL&nbsp;on the telephone for the last 20 minutes & the encounter was 100% successful. Telemetry shows that all 1,217 MDIS images were taken, all non imaging data was obtained & 23 High priority ones of the crescent & a few from the receding side have made it safely back. Pointing of the instruments were 100% through out. No misaimings, no missing gaps.The encounter is a 100% SUCCESS. All instruments worked perfectly&nbsp;with no safing events. Apparently the team are agasp & are literally drooling over the images. There are new features never seen before on Mercury, psrticularly on the outbound side the swathe Mariner 10 did not see.&nbsp;Exciting, exciting exciting. Hopefull some will appear on the website later. Ralph did say some images are likely to be posted early, due to the excellent communications with MESSENGER.I'm absolutely ecstatic. Mercury is now 95.7% imaged. Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />Thanx Andrew, good news to wake up to!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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Meric

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>"A striking characteristic of this newly imaged area is the large pattern of rays that extend from the northern region of Mercury to regions south of Kuiper. This extensive ray system appears to emanate from a relatively young crater newly imaged by MESSENGER" <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;<font size="2">When you look at these pictures and say they (bright craters)&nbsp;appear young, how young would you guestimate them to be?&nbsp; I know it's impossible to put an exact time, but what do you think?</font><br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#993300"><font size="2"><font color="#000000"> </font><em><font color="#000000">Those who never make mistakes, are always led by those who do.</font></em></font></font></p> </div>
 
3

3488

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<p><font size="4">http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery...lery_id=2&image_id=215&keyword=60&search_cat=<font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4"><a href="http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=215" target="_blank"><font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4">Section of terrain 340 KM wide centered 2.4 S. 290 East.</font></font></font></font></font>http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Forums/Weakened following bowel surgery. Low energy levels.</font></a></font>http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Forums/Weakened following bowel surgery. Low energy levels.</font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/9/12/f9755884-57bf-432a-ac4d-f0836fe95005.Medium.png" alt="" /></p><p><font size="4"><font size="4">WAC Crescent during approach. 5 KM resolution.</font></font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/15/ffcbc92a-1c53-4459-bf04-a1bc15ce6425.Medium.png" alt="" /></p><p><font size="4">http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=217<font size="4"><font size="4"><font size="4">South west portion of newly imaged terrain on approach. 500 metre resolution.</font></font></font>http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=215</font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/2/3ba2b26d-f8da-4814-b2b6-b15598c1a4a9.Medium.png" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;When you look at these pictures and say they (bright craters)&nbsp;appear young, how young would you guestimate them to be?&nbsp; I know it's impossible to put an exact time, but what do you think? <br />Posted by Meric</DIV><br /><br />LOL, I don't think I'm even qualified to take a WAG. I'd think that once all this data has been absobed and analyzed, in a few months or years some good estimates may be possible. The problem is that impact rates for Mercury are not well known. For the moon, and outer solar system hard bodies, we have good estimates of the impact rates, but for Mercury, so close to the sun, it's more difficult.</p><p>I'd rather not even guess when I'm out of my area of expertise :)</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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neuvik

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>"A striking characteristic of this newly imaged area is the large pattern of rays that extend from the northern region of Mercury to regions south of Kuiper. This extensive ray system appears to emanate from a relatively young crater newly imaged by MESSENGER" <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>dumb question sorry, so they can tell if craters are young because of those rays?&nbsp;&nbsp; Is that because they weather away faster than the cater itself right?</p><p>Can't wait till they crunch the geoscience data, but thats prolly a few days off.&nbsp;&nbsp; Epic pictures!<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">I don't think I'm alone when I say, "I hope more planets fall under the ruthless domination of Earth!"</font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff">SDC Boards: Power by PLuck - Ph**king Luck</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>dumb question sorry, so they can tell if craters are young because of those rays?&nbsp;&nbsp; Is that because they weather away faster than the cater itself right?Can't wait till they crunch the geoscience data, but thats prolly a few days off.&nbsp;&nbsp; Epic pictures! <br />Posted by neuvik</DIV><br /><br />As I understand it, yes. Both the rays and the craters themselves darken over time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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efron_24

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Just had a go at cropping & enlargening the previously unimaged part.Andrew Brown. <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />Oh my... This is much more than we hoped for..</p><p>What a planet !!!! These stripes are amazing.. running over the whole globe</p><p>Image the impact and the aftermath.. It must have been a spectecular view when that was created..</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
<p>Machaut is the name of a crater, approximately 100 kilometer (60 mile) in diameter, first seen under high-Sun conditions by Mariner 10 in the 1970s. The crater is named for the medieval French poet and composer Guillaume de Machaut. This NAC image shows an amazing new view of Machaut taken during MESSENGER&rsquo;s second flyby of Mercury. The slanting rays of the Sun cast shadows that reveal numerous small craters and intricate features. The largest crater within Machaut appears to have been inundated by lava flows similar to those that have filled most of the floor of the larger feature. The adjacent, slightly smaller crater was formed at a later time and excavated material below the lava-formed surface. MESSENGER science team members will also be studying the shallow ridges that crisscross Machaut&rsquo;s floor.<br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/2/15/520a4c8d-815d-4a1b-af61-fc1d9a42a55d.Medium.png" alt="" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
<p>New images are coming in rapidly now...</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/index.php</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
3

3488

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">New images are coming in rapidly now...&nbsp;<font color="#000080">http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/index.php </font><br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Thank you very much Wayne. From work I was dragged around ASDA (owned by Wal Mart, which I'm sure most of you are familiar with) for shopping </strong></font><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-surprised.gif" border="0" alt="Surprised" title="Surprised" /><font size="2"><strong>(what a chore, guess she's trying to domesticate me). </strong></font><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /><font size="2"><strong>I like that one of Machaut Crater. I had heard of it before as during the Mariner 10 pass, the Sun was almost at the zenith & was not well seen as the contrast as you know is low with little or no shadow, etc. MESSENGER got it beautifully.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Yes MESSENGER has sent back bucket loads today. Total 100% success this mission has been so far. What grabs me was the distance at which the ejecta rays travelled. The Surface gravity on Mercury (37.7%), is almost dead equal to that of Mars (37.8%), a difference of only one part in three hundred & seventy.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I had a fascinating talk with Dr Ralph McNutt this morning (for him it was a lot earlier than it was for me), & we had the most fascinating conversation, were we discussed the performance of MESSENGER, the telemetry, all systems were well within tolerances, solar activity, lack of evidence of hermean moons & also from June to early October, MESSENGER was carrying out a systematic search for vulcanoids. </strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Vulcanoids came up blank, though the search will resume later this year. I mentioned that I was not surpised by that result, as impacts will liberate debris & the solar energy & the solar wind would remove it, hence 'eroding' them, unless they are fairly large. 40 KM or larger across, when they would have enough gravity to hold onto a regolith which MDIS could easily find against the blackness of space despite the proximity of the Sun (from Mercury's orbit, of course they would attain a far greater elongation, where as from Earth, maximum elongation is only about 7 degrees, where as from Mercury about 21 degrees).<br /></strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>We also spoke about the volcanic plains & that there a lot more of them in the north & he agreed with me that Mercury does appear to be assymetric, bulging slightly in the south, like Mars, though really we will not know for sure&nbsp; until MESSENGER takes up hermeocentric orbit & builds a complete global elevation map of Mercury, like Magellan did with Venus & the MGS MOLA did with Mars. We will have similar for Mercury & finally figure out the tallest peak & the lowest point on the first rock from the Sun & what the elevation difference will tell us about the mechanical strength of Mercury's crust.&nbsp;</strong></font> </p><p><strong><font size="1"><font size="2">Very interesting.</font>&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Will be keeping a watch out this evening for more images. I thin for the foreseeable I can see a few being released daily. So now we've seen 95.7% of Mercury. The September 2009 pass will only add another 2%, but MESSENGER woll be passing more slowly enabling for targetted observations based on the images from this encounter.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">When MESSENGER approaches Mercury for the final time, the orientation of Mercury will also be very similar to how it was today & in September 2009. Of course from March 18th 2011, MESSENGER becomes a hermean moon & Mercury will be slowly rotationg beneath MESSENGER's orbit, se we will get to see the entire surface over time.&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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h2ouniverse

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>New images are coming in rapidly now...&nbsp;http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/index.php <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV><br /><br />I can't wait for images of the poles.</p><p>But should be in 2011 I guess...</p>
 
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3488

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I can't wait for images of the poles.But should be in 2011 I guess... <br /> Posted by h2ouniverse</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2">Hi Joel, that is correct. The September 2009 pass will also be an equatorial one as MESSENGER obviously need to remain in Mercury's orbtal plane. But in March 2011, Messenger will approach Mercury from the north, passing about 82 degrees north around the first periherm. From then on, MESSENGER will be orbiting Mercury in an 82 degree inclination. I wonder with the fuel saved due to the successful solar sailing with the arrays, they could make the orbit truly polar 90 degrees??</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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h2ouniverse

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Joel, that is correct.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />Hi Andrew,</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sorry, I can't help looking for H2O...</p>
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I wonder with the fuel saved due to the successful solar sailing with the arrays, they could make the orbit truly polar 90 degrees??Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />I also hope that the propellant saved using solar sailing will allow the craft to have it's orbit changed after (or during) the primary mission. IIRC, it is an eccentric orbit with periheme? always in one (N or S) hemisphere? I'd like to see that changed if possible so the other hemisphere is examined with closer images. The 82 degree isn't so bad as it allows you (over time) to image more of the surface at different solar elevations. From there, the poles will be able to be examined. It's really not that much different than 90 degrees. In fact, I would bet thet the 3D images that will be created of the poles by 2012 will be extremely precise. Breathtaking, in fact.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I also hope that the propellant saved using solar sailing will allow the craft to have it's orbit changed after (or during) the primary mission. IIRC, it is an eccentric orbit with periheme? always in one (N or S) hemisphere? I'd like to see that changed if possible so the other hemisphere is examined with closer images. The 82 degree isn't so bad as it allows you (over time) to image more of the surface at different solar elevations. From there, the poles will be able to be examined. It's really not that much different than 90 degrees. In fact, I would bet thet the 3D images that will be created of the poles by 2012 will be extremely precise. Breathtaking, in fact. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Hi Wayne, you are correct. The periherm is over the northern mid latitudes at times passing lowish over the centre of Caloris, with apoherm mid southern latitudes.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>In fact Wayne I agree with your idea to alternate between the two or even make the orbit a little lower & more circular. I raised this very point with Dr McNutt this morning (we did have one hell of a conversation) & of course Mercury reradiates solar energy in IR, hence the orbit of Messenger cannot be too low due to the heat coming off Mercury's surface.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>But the alternating, pivoting orbit arrangement that you describe could sort of petal around the entire planet, so at one time or another, most regions will be beneath MESSENGER at periherm.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>We'll know more in September 2009, to see how much more fuel is saved with continued solar sailing.</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2">This image the one here has got my solitary brain cell oscillating wildly. To me it looks like lava layer over layer over layer. It looks exactly like a massive force, i.e the basin forming event, the result of which is partly seen on the right was blasted into it.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">It has formed huge sheets like the Deccan Lava traps in India (thought to be partially responsible for the extinction of the Dinosaurs, the asteroid / comet impact in Mexico giving them the final blow). This MESSENGER image alone convinces me we are looking at a lava flooded surface, that erupted periodically over time to form layers, not just impact melt, such as seen to the north of Caloris during the first pass back in January.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Mind you this thread is about MESSENGER not my inane ramblings, <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/10/ff1a7142-bdcc-434e-9a00-62ae8e2cbe75.Medium.gif" alt="" />so hopefully no one has nodded off.</font></strong> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/7/d6a7ffaf-8bf7-4800-a74f-ecb44d916107.Medium.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/1/bf42a04c-b0ac-4f49-81ed-fbff2f8afb07.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Wonder what will be revealed tomorrow?</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong> I cannot wait for tomorrow's releases. Mercury you are giving up your secrets, Mercury no longer the so elusive planet.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>I still have my book of images from Mariner 10. A hundred pages of the first view.</p><p>How much we have learned in the last year ,and will in the next 5.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I still have my book of images from Mariner 10. A hundred pages of the first view.How much we have learned in the last year ,and will in the next 5. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2">Hi Wayne, is that book still in print? Can I have the ISBN please. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">I really hope that an atlas will be published soon with both Mariner 10 & MESSENGER imagery. We have reached that point now, that such a publication could be made.<br /></font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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