When NASA found a Hidden Mickey on Mercury

When NASA’s Messenger spacecraft went into orbit around Mercury in 2012 it took photos of the planet’s surface and sent back an interesting image.

On the south side of Mercury, there is a crater named Magritte and if you look in the northwest area of the crater you will find two smaller impact basins that create a recognizable shape – Mickey Mouse.

“The image is not map projected; the larger crater actually sits to the north of the two smaller ones. The shadowing helps define the striking “Mickey Mouse” resemblance, created by the accumulation of craters over Mercury’s long geologic history,” according to NASA.

Messenger was the first spacecraft to orbit around Mercury and study the planet. It entered orbit around Mercury on March 18, 2011. After a mission and two mission extensions, the spacecraft deorbited and impacted the surface of Mercury on April 30, 2015.