Astronomy Picture of the Day · May 4, 2009

Rembrandt Impact Basin on Mercury

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 4, 2009 is “Rembrandt Impact Basin on Mercury,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit & Copyright: NASA / JHU APS / ASU / CIW ; Courtesy Science / AAAS). The original explanation runs about 201 words.

From the explanation

“Why do portions of this huge crater on Mercury have so much iron? The unusual Rembrandt impact basin was discovered recently in images taken during the robotic MESSENGER spacecraft ‘s 2008 October flyby of the Solar System ‘s innermost planet.”

— APOD editors, May 4, 2009

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: May 4, 2009
Type: Image
Credit: Credit & Copyright: NASA / JHU APS / ASU / CIW ; Courtesy Science / AAAS
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 201 words

All of May 2009 → · 2009 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

On this day: May 4 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, May 4, 2009 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2009-may-4-rembrandt-impact-basin-on-mercury

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.