NASA Photo Journal

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Mercury's South Pole

Mercury's South Pole

After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASAs Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. The south pole is located on the right hand edge of Chao Meng Fu crater that has only its rim sticking up into the light.

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Similarities to Lunar Highlands

Similarities to Lunar Highlands

After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASAs Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. This encounter brought the spacecraft in front of Mercury in the southern hemisphere.

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Uncratered Area on Mercury

Uncratered Area on Mercury

A dark, smooth, relatively uncratered area on Mercury was photographed two hours after NASAs Mariner 10 flew by the planet. The prominent, sharp crater with a central peak is 30 kilometers (19 miles) across.

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Kuiper Crater

Kuiper Crater

NASAs Mariner 10 took this picture some 2 1/2 hours before it passed Mercury on March 29, 1974. The bright-floored crater is the center of a very large bright area which could be seen in pictures from more than two million miles distant

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Mercury's Densely Cratered Surface

Mercury's Densely Cratered Surface

NASAs Mariner 10 took this picture of the densely cratered surface of Mercury when the spacecraft was 18,200 kilometers (8085 miles) from the planet on March 29, 1974.

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