Long wait to other side of Mercury nearly over

I should clarify....some craters appear to be in line

You mean like a bombardment of a series of linear projectiles (comet Shoemaker Levy 9 anyone)?

yes, could not have put it better myself. I wonder if any one else can see this pattern. I wonder if this is a phenomenon associated with planetery bodies this close to a star. Or is the increase in gravity a factor at all?

declan

yes, could not have put it better myself. I wonder if any one else can see this pattern. I wonder if this is a phenomenon associated with planetery bodies this close to a star. Or is the increase in gravity a factor at all?

declan

Well, our Moon has a host of sites that show linear bombardment of multiple bodies (can't remember specifically where, as a good example - check a high detail moon map!). So, I guess with Mercury's close proximity to a high-gravity object-pulling object as the Sun, such collisions are indeed inevitable.

Good point Seanie, mind you I have never noticed them on the Moon, but it was one of the first things to strike me when I seen the Mercury images

Sorry, just came to mind - Messier A and B are two side by side craters with almost identical impact patterns and shape.

CNN's article today on some initial findings, including what one scientist thinks might be a volcano remnant spotted on its surface from Messenger.

Seanie.