MESSENGER Mercury Updates.

[3488]

Hi jmilsom,<br /><br />Thank you also for your kind comments. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />I know, wish I could do this sort of thing in person.<br /><br />I will try & keep on top of anything new, but of course it is getting late here now.<br /><br />I am off to bed now, but will be back to see if anything else has been released during the night.<br /><br />JHU have released three superb images today, hope to see more very soon.<br /><br />Hope your Uni is going well. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Good night everyone @ SDC. Its been a very good couple of days. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[bdewoody]

Even knowing that Mercury is 40% larger than the moon to an uneducated eye these first images of the planet do look a lot like images of our moon. I'm afraid that to the general public Mercury is not going to generate a lot of the wow factor that was present when images of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and the moons of the gas giants were made public. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em><font size="2">Bob DeWoody</font></em> </div>

 

[rlb2]

Hi folks<br /><br />If you add contrast and brighten the bottom right flyby image of Mercury you will see what appears to be a small satellite orbiting Mercury at 7 O-clock. You can’t see it without enhancing the image. Could be nothing???<br /><br />http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/pics/opnav_9panel.jpg <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Ron Bennett </div>

 

[nimbus]

I just raised the contrast and brightness to 150 and 225% in photoshop and can't see anything anywhere at 7oc on the bottom right shot, nor anywhere on any of the other shots. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[richalex]

I only have Irfanview available at the moment, but I don't see anything after maxing out contrast and brightness, either.

 

[richalex]

Oops, if I tell Irfanview to auto adjust colors several times, I see a spec of light, about a pixel or two, in the position described.

 

[richalex]

That could be anything: a star, maybe even Earth (probably not), maybe just image noise.

 

[rlb2]

There are two of them in line at little over 7 Oclock. Like I said it could be nothing. It may even be a distant planet. If it is something then I'm sure we will soon here about it. If you have Photoshop you would have to enlarge it then max out the brightness (100 percent) add contrast (75 percent).<br /><br />I posted it temporarily here.<br /><br />http://members.cox.net/skyclimbers/opnav_9panel.55.jpg <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Ron Bennett </div>

 

[Philotas]

<font color="yellow">Crop & enlargement of craters in Hermes Incognita. The crater chain leading away <br />from the main crater is interesting. Oblique impact??</font><br /><br />All awesome images. Quite reflective is that crater interior; what could make it so? <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Noticeable is the two bright craters at 12 O' clock in the full image. Fascinating; no ice here. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

2 new images released.<br /><br /> MESSENGER Reveals Mercury's Geologic History <br /><br />and <br /><br /> Mercury's Horizon <br /><br />Craters on craters on craters on craters. <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>

 

[silylene old]

If you look at the picture in 'Mercury's Horizon' (from MW's post), the mountains near the large crater named Sholem Aleichem appear to have 3 or 4 thick strata layers. A close up picture would help to confirm is this is correct.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Interesting.<br /><br />Because of the low sun angle, they could also be a series of striations. Note they are roungly parallel to the scarp in the crater itself.<br /><br />Since this is a Narrow Angle Camera image, and it's right near the terminator, this may be the best image we get of this feature from the flyby. <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>

 

[bobblebob]

Nasa tv showing pcs right now

 

[3488]

Good evening,<br /><br />I have not had time to check in today, till now.<br /><br />Thank you very much MeteorWayne for the very interesting updates.<br /><br />Also thank you silylene for picking up on something very interesting too.<br /><br />Here I have enlarged & cropped the 200 KM wide lava filled impact crater on the newly<br />imaged terrain.<br /><br />It is a very interesting feature. I am not sure if this is the highest resolution image <br />taken of this feature, or if others are awaiting transmission / release. The volcanic<br />flooding of this feature is very apparent.<br /><br />Also I have cropped & enlarged the area immediately to the west, by my reckoning a 300 KM<br />wide area, of smoothish lava plains.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[brellis]

Interesting comment in Emily Lakdawalla's blog:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">On a different topic, one of the things I neglected to discuss yesterday was how amazing it is that Mercury was precisely where MESSENGER expected it to be. That image of Mercury just about fills the field of view of MESSENGER's wide-angle camera, and it's just about exactly centered in the frame, which means that the spacecraft's pointing had to be absolutely spot-on. You can't just tell a spacecraft "point at Mercury and click." You have to command every little rotation of the spacecraft: so much roll about each of the three spacecraft axes to align the spacecraft with wherever Mercury was at each second of the flyby, plus how many degrees the camera should be tilted, and then click at precisely this hundredth of a second for the part of Mercury you're interested in to be in the field of view. Louise pointed out to me that the wide-angle camera departure image released last night was taken late in the flyby, and for it to be so precisely framed boded well for the pointing of all the images taken before it.</font><br /><br />One of the mysteries for my li'l hed is how precisely can we locate all the big rocks orbiting the sun. I've wondered whether some course corrections are made because a planet or moon isn't exactly where it was predicted to be. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi silylene,<br /><br />Yes the 190 KM wide Sholem Aleichem crater itself is very terraced.<br /><br />Sholem Aleichem Crater.<br /><br />I can see some terraced terrain nearby, are they the mountains you are referring to?<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[MeteorWayne]

It's likely that these are the highest resolution images of this area we will see, at least for this flyby.<br /><br />The horizon image was taken at 1810 UT, from about 18,000 km away.<br />The pattern they used was from south pole to north pole, from beyond the horizon to the terminator. The images went from left to right, then up and left to right with a slight overlap for the vertical edges.<br />Very similar to a TV scan in fact, except from south to north.<br /><br />All the other NAC images were taken post close encounter, so as far as I can tell, this terminator was not imaged again.<br /><br />MW <br /><br />Edit to correct N />S to S> N <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>

 

[3488]

Thank you very much MeteorWayne.<br /><br />I did think they might be, but was not sure, what mosaic this was part of.<br /><br />I did think it was part of the final pre encounter one.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Yes it was from quite far out, since the rest of the inbound leg (until eclipse) was UV spectrometer scans.<br /><br />Please note I edited the post obove to correct the direction of the mosaic images. <br />It was from south to north, so this was close to the end of the NAC mosaic operations; hence best resolution. <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>

 

[3488]

Hi rlb2,<br /><br />I have created these sims from the NASA / JPL Solar system simulator.<br /><br />The image with the mysterious objects was taken from approx 760,000 KM away whilst <br />MESSENGER was closing into Mercury.<br /><br />Mercury appeared below Castor & Pollux, in a sense as seen from MESSENGER, it was more like<br />Gemini the Triplets. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />The star 82 Geminorum was more or less in the correct position. But I don't know.<br /><br />Note that <font color="orange">Mars</font>appeared very close to Mercury, but was on the other side.<br /><br />Date: Sunday 13th January 2008. Time: 06:50 UT. <br /><br />From MESSENGER with Mercury centred:<br /><br />120 degree view.<br /><br />90 degree view.<br /><br />45 degree view.<br /><br />10 degree view.<br /><br />5 degree view.<br /><br />2 degree view.<br /><br />1 degree view.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[JonClarke]

<i>Fascinating; no ice here.</i><br /><br />I would not expect ice in any sunlit portions, only areas of permanant shadow.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi MeteorWayne,<br /><br />I expect that UV scan to tell much about the surface minerological makeup.<br /><br />This is going to be most interesting.<br /><br />AFAIK, the surface makeup of Mercury is essentially basaltic rock, more akin to the<br />Earth's mantle.<br /><br />We are going to learn so much from this one encounter. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[3488]

Hi Jon,<br /><br />I expect the bright craters are younger, freshly exposed basaltic rock, not space weathered.<br /><br />The UV & IR scans of those will be interesting also.<br /><br />I certainly would not expect ice in sunlight producing just over 11 KW per <br />square metre!!!!<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <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>

 

[silylene old]

yes. I was referring to the mountains near Sholem Aleichem (not the wall slumping within the crater). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[richalex]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Quite reflective is that crater interior; what could make it so?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote>Iron sulfide? Zinc sulfide? Margarosanite? Barite? Calcite? Some kind of refractory, dense, mineral, I would guess. Maybe something that slowly darkens under intense solar radiation, like desert varnish on rocks in the Southwest, but not basalt, as that is dark-colored. I don't know enough about minerology to eliminate minerals off the top of my head, and I'm too pressed for time to look right now, but I might eliminate some of the minerals I listed for containing oxygen (I don't really expect much) and maybe even sulpher (I'm not quite ready to abandon sulpher, though). <br /><br />Disclaimer: I have absolutely no training in minerology. I'm just speculating.