Monday, February 3, 2014

Volcanic vents on Mercury


MESSENGER sent back this picture showing bright orange volcanic deposits on Mercury.  Apparently before the little planet cooled off from its formation heat, it spewed some volcanic material onto its warm surface. 

More information can be found by clicking on this title: 
After Fire

But here's the main info on the image:

The fiery yellow spots that stand out against the lower reflectance plains in this image are a series of pyroclastic vents stretching from roughly -60° latitude, within the crater Hesiod, to about -51° latitude. These vents are believed to have been the origins of explosive eruptions, driven by volcanic gases. Though they can be found across Mercury, this region contains one of the largest clusters of vents on the planet.


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