The European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) joint mission BepiColombo has beamed back stunning close-up images of Mercury’s surface, including permanently hidden craters. On Wednesday, the twin spacecraft flew past Mercury for the sixth and final time to capture these exclusive views.
Flying through Mercury’s shadow, BepiColombo sent back images of the planet’s cratered surface, starting with the cold, dark night side near the north pole before moving towards its sunlit northern regions. The mission’s cameras revealed new insights into the boundary between day and night sides, including the presence of pockets of frozen water.
The massive Caloris Basin, Mercury’s largest impact crater, is visible in one image. Scientists have long been fascinated by what lies beneath Mercury’s surface, and BepiColombo aims to investigate this further. The mission has captured images of volcanic activity and large impacts, highlighting key factors behind the planet’s brighter regions.
BepiColombo is only the third spacecraft to visit Mercury, due to its proximity to the Sun’s powerful gravitational pull. In 2026, both BepiColombo probes will enter their respective orbits around the planet, providing scientists with a wealth of new data about this mysterious world. The mission has already provided invaluable insights into Mercury, and upcoming analysis is expected to unravel more of the planet’s secrets.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/spacecraft-captures-spectacularly-detailed-images-of-mercurys-hidden-surface-2000548169