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Getting Closer
Featured on October 30, 2014
A bright, fresh impact crater gleams at the top left corner of this image of Mercury from the Messenger spacecraft, which has been orbiting the planet since 2011. Flight controllers briefly lowered its orbit to as close as 15 miles, which will allow scientists to map Mercury's gravitational field in greater detail. Messenger is expected to end its mission next spring. [NASA/JHUAPL]
