Caloris Basin Target Name:   Mercury Spacecraft:   Mariner 10 Produced by:   Calvin J. Hamilton Copyright:  Calvin J. Hamilton Cross Reference:   FDS 188-199 (Publisher Permission Request)

• Mercury

This mosaic shows the Caloris Basin (located half-way in shadow on the morning terminator). Caloris is Latin for heat and the basin is named this because it is near the subsolar point (the point closest to the sun) when Mercury is at aphelion. Caloris basin is 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) in diameter and is the largest know structure on Mercury. It was formed from an impact of a projectile with asteroid dimensions. The interior floor of the basin contains smooth plains but is highly ridged and fractured. North is towards the top of this image.

This image is Copyright © by Calvin J. Hamilton. Any commercial/for-profit use of this image needs to be addressed to Calvin J. Hamilton.