First Messenger pix from Venus
The folks at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics lab have made their first image release from the data collected during last week's flyby of the planet Venus by NASA's Messenger spacecraft. They're photos only a space nerd can love. Venus is shrouded in clouds, and looks pretty much like a billiard ball in visible wavelengths. But scientists have much more than visible-light cameras in Messenger's tool box, and we should learn much more in the weeks ahead.
That said, the images of a receding crescent Venus as Messenger sped away are beautiful, almost cinematic. To a space nerd. Have a look for yourself. And here's more info on Venus. You can see the planet with your naked eye on any clear evening this month. It's the brilliant star-like object in the western sky after sunset.
