From just 295 kilometers above Mercury's surface, ESA's BepiColombo transfer probe has captured stunning close-up images while on its final flyby of the tiny, sunbaked world.

The probe achieved the closest approach (201 km) of Mercury's surface yet, and took a variety of measurements in the magnetosphere, exosphere and on Mercury's surface.

The MESSENGER — a backronym of MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging, and a reference to the Roman mythological messenger, Mercury — was launched aboard a Delta II ...

Mariner 10 launched in 1973 and imaged around 45% of the planet's surface from 1974 until its end of mission in March 1975. MESSENGER was launched in 2004 and entered Mercury's orbit in 2011, making ...

Japan's Mio space probe now en route to Mercury ... As the closest planet to the sun, Mercury is exposed to strong plasma waves and its surface temperature measures up to 430 degrees.

On Mercury's northern hemisphere, the cratered surface has been smoothed in many places by lava. Credit: ESA / BepiColombo / MTM The Nathair Facula, the aftermath of Mercury's largest volcanic ...

But other substances beside water, such as sulphur, could have explained the bright spots near Mercury's poles seen on the radar. The instruments onboard MESSENGER, however, present compelling ...