The planet Mercury is seen as Messenger flew by for the second time this year. During the encounter, the probe swung just 125 miles above the cratered surface, snapping hundreds of pictures and collecting a variety of other data. The probe is on track to become the first spacecraft ever to orbit the innermost planet beginning in March 2011. This spectacular image was taken Oct. 6, 2008 and made available Oct. 8.
(Photo: AP Photo/NASA)
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