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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

First color image from Mercury orbit

First color image from Mercury orbit
First color image from Mercury orbit This false-color view of Mercury represents the start of MESSENGER's work to systematically map the innermost planet from orbit. MESSENGER's wide-angle camera has a filter wheel with 11 different color filters, some in visible wavelengths and some in infrared; different combinations of images taken in different filters can yield colorful views showing variation in surface composition. This image was made from three captured through infrared and blue filters. NASA / JHUAPL / CIW