[/caption] NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, about to wrap up its first full year in orbit around Mercury, captured this view of the planet’s heavily-cratered southern hemisphere on August 28, 2011. Because of its orbit, MESSENGER gets particularly good panoramic views of Mercury’s underside. Here’s why… MESSENGER’s orbit, established on March 18, 2011 at 00:45 UTC, is … Continue reading "Mercury Down Under"