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First shot of Mercury from orbit

MESSENGER has radioed to Earth a new look at the first rock from the sun

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft has returned the first image of Mercury ever taken by a probe orbiting the solar system’s innermost planet. The image, recorded early on March 29 by MESSENGER’s wide-angle camera and released later that day, shows two craters as well as a part of Mercury’s south polar terrain not previously imaged by any craft.