On 10/6/08, at roughly 4:40 AM ET, MESSENGER flew by Mercury for the 2nd time this year. During the encounter, the probe swung just 125 miles above the cratered surface of Mercury, snapping hundreds of pictures and collecting a variety of other data from the planet as it gains a critical gravity assist that keeps the probe on track to become the first spacecraft ever to orbit the innermost planet beginning in March 2011.
At roughly 1:50 AM ET on 10/07, MESSENGER's most recent images began to be received back on Earth.
Images 1-5 of 5
 MESSENGER's 2nd Flyby |  Mercury Crater Close-Up |  Machaut Crater |  Crescent Mercury |
 Cratered Mercury |
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