Mercury

Original image data from SVST observing runs





Global Mercury map at 200 km scale from SVST observations

For additional information on and analysis of this map, please see preprint of Warell and Limaye (2001) paper in Plan. Space Science.



Synthetic Mercury disks generated from SVST image data

The following gray-scale Mercury disk maps are intended for general reference at observing runs. The image data used is the same as presented in the paper by Warell and Limaye in Plan. Space Science (2001, in press) (preprint here) and has been photometrically corrected with the Minnaert function (i.e., in the telescope, the Mercury disk will appear appreciably brighter towards the limb).

The spherical maps are presented with and without a white longitude/latitude grid for longitudes 0 to 360 and latitudes -60 to 60 at 30 degree increments. The sub-earth longitude, latitude and the sub-solar longitude is given for each image. Celestial north is up, celestial west is to the right and Mercurian longitudes are increasing towards Mercurian west (left).

The sub-earth point is marked with a cross. The sub-solar point is marked with a short vertical line on the equator (Mercury's obliquity is negligible) and will fall on the invisible hemisphere for disks which are less than half illuminated from an Earth-based perspective (i.e., if the sub-earth point will fall on the unilluminated hemisphere).

No attempt has been made to generate disks with correct relative sizes. In case of questions or for requesting synthetic Mercury disk maps, contact Johan Warell.


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