Mercury
Only a little larger than Earth's Moon and never far from the Sun's glare, Mercury is a challenging target for the amateur and professional astronomer alike. With ever-improving imaging techniques and filters, many amateurs are resolving details on the tiny disk. The ALPO Mercury Section is the place to stay up to date on what's happening with the innermost planet and how to contribute to our knowledge about it.
   Mercury News Headlines
BepiColombo Successful Flyby of Jan 8th
1/8/2025

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BepiColombo successfully captured stunning images of Mercury during its flyby on January 8, 2025. The spacecraft flew to within 183 miles of Mercury's surface, providing detailed views of the planet's north pole and volcanic plains. These images reveal the rims and shadowed floors of craters that are among the coldest places in the Solar System despite Mercury's proximity to the Sun. The mission aims to search for frozen water in these regions as well as learn more about the tiny planet's volcanic history.

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Best Images Yet from BepiColombo
9/5/2024

Physics.org logo The ESA/JAXA spacecraft BepiColombo made a successful flyby at Mercury on Sept. 4th, sending back its best images yet as it flew within 165km of the planet. The successful maneuver will slow the spacecraft down to enable it to eventually orbit Mercury starting in November 2026. The B&W images were taken using the “M-CAM”, the main science camera is shield and will provide higher resolution images once BepiColumbo starts its scientific investigation in earnest.


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More Mercury News Headlines
   Event Calendar

Feb 09, 2025
Mercury at superior solar conjunction

Mar 07, 2025
Mercury at dichotomy & greatest elongation east

Mar 08, 2025
Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky

Full Mercury Section Calendar
Observation Spotlight
Featured Mercury Observation
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Observer: Frank Melillo
Equipment: SCT 250mm f/10
A nice shot of Mercury taken using deep red filter at the end of 2024. Even though the aperture is only 250mm (10"), Mercury Section coordinator Frank Melillo has clearly captured surface details on the tiny planet.