Mercury’s map

Launched in August 2004, NASA’s Messenger probe has completed 3 Mercury flybys, the last being in September 2009 (it is to return to go into orbit around Mercury in 2011). The numerous pictures taken during these flybys at a few hundred kilometres from the closest planet to the Sun have been collated to produce a global map. Photographs taken during previous missions, including that of Mariner in the 1970’s, have also been used. This map of Mercury is the most accurate ever plotted; it covers 97.72% of the planet’s surface. It can be downloaded free of charge from the USGS, United States Geological Survey, website on this page.

Published on 28 December 2009