1. Mercury Observations with MESSENGER Images By: Frank J Melillo

3. MISSION TO MERCURY: MESSENGER It stands for - MErcury: Surface, Space, ENvironment, GEochemisty, Ranging MErcury: Surface, Space, ENvironment, GEochemisty, Ranging

4. MESSENGER Spacecraft Launched August 3rd, 2004 MESSENGER Spacecraft Launched August 3rd, 2004

5. MESSENGER entered orbit around Mercury in March, 2011

6. BUT FIRST… ► Earth Flyby – Aug. 3, 2005 ► Venus Flyby 1 – Oct. 24, 2006 ► Venus Flyby 2 – June 5, 2007 ► Mercury Flyby 1 – Jan. 14, 2008 ► Mercury Flyby 2 – Oct. 6, 2008 ► Mercury Flyby 3 – Sept. 9, 2009 ► First Orbit Insertion – March 11, 2011 ► Mission extended – March 18, 2012

8. Approaching Mercury

9. MESSENGER departs Mercury

11. Dr. Gerald Cecil’s (University of NC in Chapter Hill) images of Mercury compared with the MESSENGER. They were taken remotely by using the 1.35M SOAR telescope in Chile

21. Is Solitudo Aphrodites imaged? (Formerly Skinakas Basin)

38. THE END…….