Explanation: For the first time, the entire surface of planet Mercury has been mapped. Detailed observations of the innermost planet's surprising crust have been ongoing since the robotic MESSENGER spacecraft first passed Mercury in 2008 and began orbiting in 2011. Previously, much of the Mercury's surface was unknown as it is too far for Earth-bound telescopes to see clearly, while the Mariner 10 flybys in the 1970s observed only about half. The above video is a compilation of thousands of images of Mercury rendered in exaggerated colors to better contrast different surface features. Visible on the rotating world are rays emanating from a northern impact that stretch across much of the planet, while about half-way through the video the light colored Caloris Basin rotates into view, a northern ancient impact feature that filled with lava. MESSENGER has now successfully completed its primary and first extended missions.
This is interesting, but during the first 3 seconds and the last 3 seconds of the video a section comes into view at the top of the picture which shows an obvious gap in the photo montage. It seems that this video does not represent the completed mapping spoken of in the article.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 4:48 am
by geckzilla
Stendec wrote:This is interesting, but during the first 3 seconds and the last 3 seconds of the video a section comes into view at the top of the picture which shows an obvious gap in the photo montage. It seems that this video does not represent the completed mapping spoken of in the article.
Looks to me more like that particular part is in black and white and hence did not receive any color emphasis.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:02 am
by madtom1999
That was horrible - it looked like jelly or Jupiter with all the bits rotating and slipping.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:54 am
by Indigo_Sunrise
madtom, I'm not sure what you mean by 'all the bits rotating and slipping'...?
The video shows planet Mercury rotating. What exactly do you mean by 'slipping'? Maybe your video player needs updating...? Just a thought/suggestion.
I found the video very interesting, if a bit fast. Is that so it mimics the actual speed that Mercury spins?
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 11:12 am
by orin stepanek
Neat video; I liked it!
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 11:26 am
by saturno2
Very good video
It is the product of thousands images
The surface of Mercury is different than others planets of
Solar System
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:07 pm
by stephen63
Stendec wrote:This is interesting, but during the first 3 seconds and the last 3 seconds of the video a section comes into view at the top of the picture which shows an obvious gap in the photo montage. It seems that this video does not represent the completed mapping spoken of in the article.
That's not a gap. That's where the underground explosion occurred on April 1st. Part of the planet was blown into space.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:31 pm
by Beyond
I like the 'exaggerated' colors. It gives it Pizzazz
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 pm
by Skytreker
That's great, but can we have in in normal color please?
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 4:06 pm
by stephen63
Skytreker wrote:That's great, but can we have in in normal color please?
Indigo_Sunrise wrote:
I found the video very interesting, if a bit fast. Is that so it mimics the actual speed that Mercury spins?
I too found the video’s rotation rate far too fast to really enjoy taking in Mercury’s features. And the vid’s speed has nothing to do at all with Mercury’s rotation rate. Mercury has the 2nd slowest planetary rotation rate in the solar system (after Venus). It’s sidereal rotation period is 58.6 days, or about 2/3rds of its 88 day long year.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:10 pm
by Bill RSaturn Galaxy
Is there anything showing Earth in a similar manner. I wonder what we would see if we saw Earth rendered in exaggerated colors to better contrast different surface features? Great video. I like it almost as much as the one from a few years back that showed Earth's moon shift through its phases.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:34 pm
by geckzilla
Bill RSaturn Galaxy wrote:Is there anything showing Earth in a similar manner. I wonder what we would see if we saw Earth rendered in exaggerated colors to better contrast different surface features? Great video. I like it almost as much as the one from a few years back that showed Earth's moon shift through its phases.
It's arguable that you wouldn't want Earth's surface features exaggerated because it is already so interesting. Seeing it in its natural, unadulterated state would probably be preferable to many. Looking at mercury is sort of like looking at our moon except it doesn't even have those familiar maria which we imagine to be many things. It's no wonder someone chose to emphasize the colors to help Mercury's naturally indiscernible features pop out and become apparent.
geckzilla wrote:
It's arguable that you wouldn't want Earth's surface features exaggerated because it is already so interesting. Seeing it in its natural, unadulterated state would probably be preferable to many. Looking at mercury is sort of like looking at our moon except it doesn't even have those familiar maria which we imagine to be many things. It's no wonder someone chose to emphasize the colors to help Mercury's naturally indiscernible features pop out and become apparent.
Bill RSaturn Galaxy wrote:Is there anything showing Earth in a similar manner. I wonder what we would see if we saw Earth rendered in exaggerated colors to better contrast different surface features? Great video. I like it almost as much as the one from a few years back that showed Earth's moon shift through its phases.
It's arguable that you wouldn't want Earth's surface features exaggerated because it is already so interesting. Seeing it in its natural, unadulterated state would probably be preferable to many. Looking at mercury is sort of like looking at our moon except it doesn't even have those familiar maria which we imagine to be many things. It's no wonder someone chose to emphasize the colors to help Mercury's naturally indiscernible features pop out and become apparent.
For the whole Earth, I'd agree (although multichannel Earth observation satellites usually portray things in rather garish colors). But locally, aerial and satellite imagery of the Earth are enhanced the same way all the time. Geologists do it to distinguish the makeup of areas of sand and rock. Archaeologists do it to detect subsurface artifacts. Ecologists do it to enhance plant structure in forests.
Garish colors? You don't say! I hated this image so much that I downloaded the largest format available and tinkered with the individual channels. I got it looking a lot better aesthetically and gave the vegetation (red) greater depth by assigning it a color gradient and overlaying it on top of the other two which I converted to RGB with pseudogreen much like HLA processing but in the end conceded defeat because the cost was losing color distinction between water and man made structures. Geck 0, Pros 1
Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
Garish colors? You don't say! I hated this image so much that I downloaded the largest format available and tinkered with the individual channels. I got it looking a lot better aesthetically and gave the vegetation (red) greater depth by assigning it a color gradient and overlaying it on top of the other two which I converted to RGB with pseudogreen much like HLA processing but in the end conceded defeat because the cost was losing color distinction between water and man made structures. Geck 0, Pros 1
As the Rolling Stones sing... "You can't always get what you want." That applies to geckos also.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:07 am
by Stendec
Upon closer examination I concur that the area I mentioned in my previous post has some craters and is merely uncolored. I also noticed two or three other uncolored areas. I plead presbyopia. (Or I can think of some other excuse if you don't like that one.)
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:47 am
by Beyond
That excuse works well for me. I don't have the foggiest idea what it means, and I'm tooo lazy to look it up.
Re: APOD: All of Mercury (2013 Jun 12)
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 12:27 pm
by neufer
Beyond wrote:
Stendec wrote:
Upon closer examination I concur that the area I mentioned in my previous post has some craters and is merely uncolored. I also noticed two or three other uncolored areas. I plead presbyopia. (Or I can think of some other excuse if you don't like that one.)
That excuse works well for me.
I don't have the foggiest idea what it means, and I'm tooo lazy to look it up.
Stendec wrote:
Upon closer examination I concur that the area I mentioned in my previous post has some craters and is merely uncolored. I also noticed two or three other uncolored areas. I plead presbyopia. (Or I can think of some other excuse if you don't like that one.)
That excuse works well for me.
I don't have the foggiest idea what it means, and I'm tooo lazy to look it up.
All of Mercury
geckos also. 
