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A Closer Look at Eminescu

With each new image of Eminescu, MESSENGER scientists are finding new facets of this beautiful crater to study. Eminescu is already of interest due to the spectacular hollows on its floor and peaks. This image highlights the interesting range of textures on Eminescu's floor. In addition to the hollows seen at the left side of the frame, which give the floor a pitted texture, there are also smooth expanses, broken up by knobs that appear to underly the smooth material. This texture is likely due to rock that was melted by the Eminescu impact and ponded on the crater floor. Along the crater wall to the right, the smooth floor transitions to a wrinkled surface, where it appears that the melt was folded as it was cooling, possibly due to slumping of the walls while the crater was still settling.

Date acquired: July 23, 2012

Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington