April 7, 2012
Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington and Dr Paolo C. Fienga/LXTT/IPF for the additional process. and color.
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As reported in the July 4th, 2008 issue of the Science Magazine, Volcanoes have been discovered on the Surface of Mercury from images acquired during the NASA - MESSENGER’s Spacecraft 1st Fly-By of the innermost Planet of the Solar System. This image shows the largest feature identified as a Volcano in the upper center of the scene. The Volcano has a central kidney-shaped depression, which is the Vent, and a broad smooth Dome surrounding it. The Volcano is located just inside the Rim of the Caloris Impact Basin. The Rim of the Basin is marked with Hills and Mountains, also visible in the frame. The role of Volcanism (as well as its actual existence) in Mercury’s Geologic History had been debated, without reaching any real result, for a long time; but MESSENGER’s discovery of the first identified Volcano on Mercury’s Surface shows that Volcanism was a real phenomenon (and not just an hypothesis) that actually occurred - likely, in a VERY distant past - on this Planet. Date acquired: January, 14, 2008 This frame has been colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - MESSENGER Spacecraft and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mercury), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team. |
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