Unveiling Mercury’s Secrets – The Enigmatic Caloris Basin
Mercury’s enigmas are gradually unveiled due to the groundbreaking MESSENGER mission. In 2014, MESSENGER became the first spacecraft to orbit this scorching planet. Mercury’s extreme temperatures and lava-filled landscape may have deterred earlier exploration efforts.
With nighttime temperatures plummeting to -330°F and daytime highs soaring to 354°F, the sensitive instruments aboard MESSENGER collected invaluable data. This enhanced-color composite image reveals the crater-laden Caloris Basin, one of our solar system’s most significant impact basins, providing a glimpse into Mercury’s fascinating geology.
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