NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft made its second flyby of Venus earlier in June, and scientists have now released the images. The photographs attached to this story actually show the pictures the spacecraft captured as it was traveling away from Venus, on its way to an encounter with Mercury in the future.
MESSENGER has a suite of instruments designed to map out the details of Mercury’s surface; unfortunately, Venus is obscured by thick clouds, so it wasn’t able to see down to map out the terrain and minerals. That task will have to wait until it reaches Mercury. However, it did get an opportunity to observe the cloudy planet at the same time ESA’s Venus Express was observing. Scientists will be able to compare images, combine data, and calibrate scientific instruments from this double view.
The spacecraft has now past Venus for the last time; all of its future planetary encounters will be with Mercury. It will make three flybys of the closest planet to the Sun before going into orbit in 2011.
Original Source: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL News Release
Recent Posts
Solar Max is Coming. The Sun Just Released Three X-Class Flares
The Sun is increasing its intensity on schedule, continuing its approach to solar maximum. In…
New Evidence for Our Solar System’s Ghost: Planet Nine
Does another undetected planet languish in our Solar System's distant reaches? Does it follow a…
NASA Takes Six Advanced Tech Concepts to Phase II
It's that time again. NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) has announced six concepts that will…
China is Going Back to the Moon Again With Chang'e-6
On Friday, May 3rd, the sixth mission in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (Chang'e-6) launched…
What Can Early Earth Teach Us About the Search for Life?
Earth is the only life-supporting planet we know of, so it's tempting to use it…
China Creates a High-Resolution Atlas of the Moon
Multiple space agencies are looking to send crewed missions to the Moon's southern polar region…