Watch: NASA reveals Mercury's mystery with planet's first global topographic map

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: NASA's MESSENGER mission showcases first ever high resolution and comprehensive view of Mars topography.

This map is the first global digital elevation model of the solar system's innermost planet and unveils some of the stunning details of the planet's entire surface.

It shows the highest and lowest elevation of Mars with highest point coming in as 4.48 kilometers (above Mercury's average elevation) and lowest points as 5.38 (below Mercury's average elevation).

The Messenger while orbiting around the planet collected around 300,000 images of Mercury.

According to NASA reports the sun is always low near the Mercury's northern region and casts many long shadows across the scene that can obscure the color characteristics of the rocks.

Watch the colorful topographic features of Mars in this video:

(Video credits: NASA)