Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Mercury's Vivaldi Crater from BepiColombo

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for September 16, 2024 is “Mercury's Vivaldi Crater from BepiColombo,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: ESA , JAXA , BepiColombo , MTM. The original explanation runs about 145 words.

The cratered surface of a large body is shown: Mercury. The largest feature visible is a large impact crater with two rings, near the image center. Arms from the BepiColumbo spacecraft that took the image are seen extending into the image f
Credit: Image Credit: ESA , JAXA , BepiColombo , MTM Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Why does this large crater on Mercury have two rings and a smooth floor? No one is sure.”

— APOD editors, September 16, 2024

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
September 16, 2024
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: ESA , JAXA , BepiColombo , MTM
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 145 words

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Source

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.