Exploring Mercury: BepiColombo Reveals Planet's Hidden Side

You know Mercury as the closest planet to the Sun, but what lies hidden on its surface? The tandem spacecraft BepiColombo, a collaboration between Europe and Japan, just flew by Mercury for the last time before settling into orbit. It's like visiting a mysterious place and taking a good look around before you move in. Seeing Mercury up close is not easy. The Sun's strong gravitational pull makes it tricky to get close. BepiColombo is only the third spacecraft to visit. Imagine going on a road trip and only three cars have ever made that journey before! This flyby was special. BepiColombo flew just 180 miles (295 kilometers) above Mercury, giving us a close-up view of the planet’s dark and light sides. It took some incredible pictures, showing us craters and the giant Caloris Basin, which is over 930 miles (1, 500 kilometers) wide! One interesting thing about Mercury is that its newer scars, like craters, appear brighter than older ones. Scientists aren’t sure what Mercury is made of, but over time, the surface materials darken. It’s like something fresh and new looks different from something that’s been lying around for a while. BepiColombo also captured the aftermath of the largest volcanic eruption on Mercury. The volcanic vent is around 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide and has seen at least three major eruptions. Imagine something that size erupting! Mercury is a bit of a mystery. We want to know if it holds water in its shadows, even though it’s so close to the Sun. The spacecraft's mission is to find out. After six flybys, BepiColombo has given us a lot of new information about Mercury. It’s like a detective gathering clues to solve a case. The mission started back in 2018, and it’s been a journey of discovery ever since. “By visiting Mercury, we’ve learned more about this little-explored planet, ” said Geraint Jones, BepiColombo’s project scientist at ESA. “Our work continues to unravel Mercury’s secrets. ”