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Mercury - first picture revealed

by whateverpedia
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The first pictures have been released from the Messenger as it settles into orbit around Mercury.

MESSENGER’s first picture from Mercury orbit! | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine
  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    Wow, that is some pretty amazing detail in that photo.

    Thanks, Whatever
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    • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
      How did they get Mercury confused with the Moon? :confused:
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    WOW, they are saying that mercury varies by about 1100f! from -300 to 800F. I guess the -300 could be conceivable at the farthest point, in the dark, since the planet could be dense and have no atmosphere, but WOW. I guess they would have to plan messengers arrivakl to be in between. 800 could probably destroy things from being too hot, and -300 would be too cold. Even solar collectors, gasses, and ICs have trouble in those extremes, and insulation and the like can only go so far.

    On the faq, it says:

    MESSENGER is mainly powered by its solar array, which includes two solar panels covering a total area of 5 square meters. The panels are made of materials rated to withstand high temperatures – 250°C or 480°F – but the system is designed to keep the panels from facing the Sun directly, yielding a nominal operational temperature in the range 100° to 150°C.
    I bet they keep the NiMH sheilded well.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    OH MY GOTTTT!

    Eessss covored een Crop corcles...!

    Eeesss de land of de corp circels...

    Oh my GOTTTT!

    Whew!

    Sorry , had to get that out. Dont know where it came from.

    Dees ees amacing deescorvory! Thats all.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    Wow. That picture is pretty amazing. It looks sort of like the moon! Small Universe! lolol
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  • Profile picture of the author AMiRU
    Is the image taken at night or the camera is a black & white? or that's just how mercury looks like?
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Careful John - pretty soon we'll get the close-ups and when they see your shoes sitting on that rock you left them on, well - get ready to answer some serious questions guy.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Careful John - pretty soon we'll get the close-ups and when they see your shoes sitting on that rock you left them on, well - get ready to answer some serious questions guy.
      No Sal, I left the rock behind over 17 months ago... its all strictly herb now. But come to think of it... I do think maybe I also left the shoes behind too.... hmmm.
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      • Profile picture of the author HeySal
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        No Sal, I left the rock behind over 17 months ago... its all strictly herb now. But come to think of it... I do think maybe I also left the shoes behind too.... hmmm.
        LMAO -- that's not a picture I had in my head when I was thinking of your shoes on the boulder that you were sitting on and the CIA wanting to know how you got there. Hmmm - well, I guess your answer would have explained that one anyhow. I love it when guys tell on themselves.
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        Sal
        When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
        Beyond the Path

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  • Profile picture of the author Joshua Rigley
    Banned
    There's something inspiring about seeing an up-close shot of a planet or a star. And the caption points out a 50 mile crater that's really just a dot on the planet surface. It's so little...but so big at the same time.

    Still though, you'd be hard pressed to find a more interesting planet than Earth.
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