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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Mercury's Vivaldi Crater from BepiColombo
NASA ^ | 16 Sep, 2024 | Image Credit: ESA, JAXA, BepiColombo, MTM

Posted on 09/16/2024 12:43:52 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Why does this large crater on Mercury have two rings and a smooth floor? No one is sure. The unusual feature called Vivaldi Crater spans 215 kilometers and was imaged again in great detail by ESA's and JAXA's robotic BepiColombo spacecraft on a flyby earlier this month. A large circular feature on a rocky planet or moon is usually caused by either an impact by a small asteroid or a comet fragment, or a volcanic eruption. In the case of Vivaldi, it is possible that both occurred -- a heavy strike that caused a smooth internal lava flow. Double-ringed craters are rare, and the cause of the inner rings remains a topic of research. The speed-slowing gravity-assisted flyby of Mercury by BepiColombo was in preparation for the spacecraft entering orbit around the Solar System's innermost planet in 2026.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 09/16/2024 12:43:52 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 09/16/2024 12:44:10 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; Agatsu77; America_Right; ...
Pinging the APOD list

πŸͺ 🌟 🌌 πŸ”

3 posted on 09/16/2024 12:44:54 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber

4 posted on 09/16/2024 1:06:49 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN

Is Mercury made of canned “meat”? Why wouldn’t the raccoons eat it?


5 posted on 09/16/2024 1:10:48 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber; DannyTN

I think that the connection does prove that Danny isn’t AI, though.


6 posted on 09/16/2024 1:14:36 PM PDT by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: MtnClimber; Empire_of_Liberty
Racoons are probably why Mercury is so much smaller than the other planets.


7 posted on 09/16/2024 1:22:09 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: Empire_of_Liberty

Danny could be AI, placed by Russian BOTs, to destroy the USA by making us believe Mercury is a big canned Meat Ball planet.


8 posted on 09/16/2024 1:22:13 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber

Did you see the pull-tab in the photo? I did. ;-)


9 posted on 09/16/2024 1:25:17 PM PDT by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: Empire_of_Liberty
I am glad that NASA put up a real astronomy photo for today. Even if it is for a small planet with a pull tab to get to the meat ball inside. I wish Arnold the Pig was here to evaluate the photo. Arnold Ziffel - Arnold is a pig whom the Ziffels treat as a son, understands English, lives indoors, and is pampered. Everyone understands Arnold when he grunts, as if he were speaking English, except Oliver. He is an avid TV watcher and a Western fan, attends the local grade school (carrying his book pack in his mouth), and signs his own name on paper. Only Oliver believes Arnold is just livestock, although he frequently slips and begins treating him as a boy. Arnold makes regular appearances throughout the series, often visiting the Douglas home to watch their TV
10 posted on 09/16/2024 1:34:00 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber

Stonehenge on Mercury.


11 posted on 09/16/2024 1:41:44 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (Two options: 1) Stand up, or 2) Bend over)
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To: MtnClimber

I’m surprised that anyone went back to Mercury. The Messenger probe orbited for months taking pictures. I doubt much has changed since then.


12 posted on 09/16/2024 3:20:38 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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