New Images from BepiColombo’s Latest Flyby Reveal Mercury’s Surprising Geology

Europe’s Mercury-bound probe BepiColombo recently completed its third close flyby of the planet on June 19, providing scientists with new insights into Mercury’s surface. The joint European/Japanese mission, which launched in 2018, is nearing the end of its seven-year journey through the inner solar system. BepiColombo relies on gravity assists from Earth, Venus, and Mercury to slow down and adjust its trajectory. During the recent flyby, the spacecraft came within 150 miles (236 kilometers) of Mercury’s surface, allowing scientists to make measurements and capture images of the planet’s scorched surface.

The European Space Agency (ESA) released the first set of images from the flyby, revealing a “geology bounty” on Mercury’s surface. The images show numerous craters, ancient volcanic ridges, and lava flows. One notable feature is a crater that has been named Edna Manley, after a Jamaican/British artist who passed away in 1987. This crater is of particular interest to scientists as it contains dark “low-reflectance material” that may be remnants of Mercury’s early carbon-rich crust. The basin floor within the crater has also been flooded by smooth lava, indicating the planet’s history of volcanic activity.

In addition to the craters, BepiColombo also captured images of the Beagle Rupes escarpment, a 370-mile-long (600 km) cliff that formed billions of years ago as Mercury cooled and contracted. This feature was previously discovered by NASA’s Messenger mission, and scientists are eager to compare the new images with the ones captured by BepiColombo. The images also reveal a variety of ancient impact basins that were flooded with volcanic lavas during the planet’s early years when it was still tectonically active.

Unfortunately, the spacecraft was unable to capture images during its closest approach as it arrived at the planet from the night side. The closest images were taken at a distance of 2,170 miles (3,500 km) about 20 minutes after the closest approach.

The BepiColombo mission consists of two orbiters stacked on top of each other, and some of the probes’ instruments are currently hidden. This includes BepiColombo’s main high-resolution cameras. The available images were taken by three monitoring cameras originally designed to observe the spacecraft’s solar panel deployment after launch, resulting in a modest resolution of 1024 x 1024 pixels.

BepiColombo will continue its mission with three more flybys of Mercury in the coming years before finally being captured by the planet’s feeble gravity in December 2025. These flybys will provide further opportunities for scientists to study and explore Mercury’s surface and environment.

Overall, the recent flyby of BepiColombo has provided scientists with valuable data and images of Mercury’s surface, shedding light on its geological features and history.

What role do the images captured by BepiColombo play in studying the interplay between Mercury’s volcanism and tectonism

To scientists as it exhibits signs of recent volcanic activity. The images captured by BepiColombo provide valuable insights into the interplay between Mercury’s volcanism and tectonism.

The Hokusai quadrangle of Mercury, which was the focus of the study mentioned in the search results, offers valuable case studies in understanding Mercury’s volcanism and tectonism. The research conducted in this area can help scientists gain a better understanding of the planet’s geological history and the processes that have shaped its surface.

The recent flyby of BepiColombo, conducted on June 19, has provided scientists with new data and observations about Mercury’s surface. By coming within a distance of 150 miles (236 kilometers) of Mercury’s surface, the spacecraft was able to make measurements and capture high-resolution images. These images have revealed a wealth of geological features, including craters, volcanic ridges, and lava flows.

Among the notable findings is the discovery of a crater named Edna Manley, after the renowned artist. This particular crater is of significant interest due to its signs of recent volcanic activity. The observations made during the flyby contribute to our knowledge of the dynamic nature of Mercury’s surface and the ongoing geological processes occurring on the planet.

The joint European/Japanese mission, BepiColombo, launched in 2018 and is expected to continue its journey through the inner solar system for a total of seven years. Throughout this mission, BepiColombo relies on gravity assists from Earth, Venus, and Mercury to adjust its trajectory and slow down. These flybys are crucial for the spacecraft to gather data and conduct scientific observations of Mercury and its surroundings.

In conclusion, the recent flyby of BepiColombo has provided scientists with new insights into Mercury’s surface. The images captured during the flyby have revealed a wealth of geological features, including evidence of recent volcanic activity. This ongoing mission, conducted jointly by the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is playing a vital role in advancing our understanding of the dynamics and geology of the planet Mercury.