New images of Mercury captured by UK spacecraft

BBC ^ | 01/08/2025 | Danny Fullbrook

[BenLurkin]

A spacecraft built in the UK has captured new images of Mercury as it made its sixth and final flyby ahead of entering the planet's orbit in 2026.

BepiColombo was built by the Stevenage-based company Astrium, now Airbus, and launched in 2018.

The spacecraft comprises two satellites that will gather data for at least a year, and needs special shielding to withstand the heat from the sun.

Monitoring cameras on the spacecraft captured images of the planet as it flew 295km (183 miles) above Mercury's surface, including views of the planet's north poles, as it was lit by sunlight.

......

[Romulus]

Mercury has more than one north pole?

[SunkenCiv]

Scorching-Hot Mercury Has a Surprisingly Icy North Pole
By Harrison Tasoff
published September 26, 2017
https://www.space.com/38274-mercury-has-surprisingly-icy-north-pole.html

[SunkenCiv]

Looks like a typo.

[fidelis]

Thus verifying that it is just a little, pock-marked hot rock.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

The UK has spacecraft? What did they do, rent it from China?

[ifinnegan]

Fair question.

Joint project with Japannand European Space Agency. Launched by ESA Ariadne 5.

[Larry Lucido]

BepiColombo

“Um, just one more question, ma’am.”

[Colt1851Navy]

My favorite Uncle had a Mercury.

[dfwgator]

Mercury Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9e7R_k5Gn4

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Impressive! Leave it to the old colonizers!

“Mercury captured by UK spacecraft”

[Sirius Lee]

Scorching-Hot Mercury Has a Surprisingly Icy North Pole

Yeah, but the South Pole is hot because it's close to the Equator.

[BenLurkin]

Not to mention airless and bathed in radiation.

[Larry Lucido]

Avis upgraded me to a Cougar once (the car, not the woman). Nice ride.

[Fester Chugabrew]

As an observer I find it intriguing how trees and planetary spheres are at the same time easily distinguishable from other objects, yet completely unpredictable in their details. There’s a beauty to it, better than art. Those who fear God know it well.

[libertylover]

I saw a video on YouTube that said Venus is hotter than Mercury. Is that right? How?

[Magnum44]

The average surface temperature of Venus is 867°F (464°C), while Mercury's is 333°F (167°C).

Keep in mind, Venus is cloud covered so the heat is more evenly distributed and held in the clouds.

Mercury has little or no atmosphere, so the 'average' temperature has an extreme high on the sunny side and an extreme cold on the dark side.

So Mercury could be 'hotter'....

As usual I am having fun. In reality, Venus may still be hotter than the high on mercury by a few degrees.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

As usual I am having fun. In reality, Venus may still be hotter than the high on mercury by a few degrees.

Yeah Venus is a very humid heat, sort of like Houston, Texas.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

The steering wheel is on the wrong side.

[heavy metal]

mercury mystique...