Mercury, Polar Region, Northern Exposure

This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage.

Due to its nearly vertical spin axis, Mercury's north pole is never fully sunlit. If it were, it might look something like this image, which is an orthographic projection of a global mosaic. The dark area towards the center of the image contains the north pole. The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. During the one-year primary mission, MESSENGER acquired 88, 746 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is now in a yearlong extended mission, during which plans call for the acquisition of more than 80, 000 additional images to support MESSENGER's science goals.