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> Vivaldi crater on Mercury seen by Messenger- Oct 6 2008

Vivaldi crater on Mercury seen by Messenger- Oct 6 2008

author: Nasa/JHUAPL/ Carnegie Institution of Washington/Novapix

reference: a-mer04-00020

Image Size 300 DPI: 9 * 9 cm

MESSENGER made its second flyby of the innermost planet, and captured a view of Vivaldi at sunrise. Long shadows are draped across the floor of this feature, which is actually considered a `small` double-ring basin despite having a diameter of 213 kilometers (133 miles). The low Sun illumination also highlights ridges, valleys, and chains of craters radiating away from Vivaldi.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONOMY - BLACK AND WHITE - CRATER - IMPACT CRATER - MERCURY - MESSENGER - PLANET - VIVALDI -