BepiColombo Spacecraft's Close Approach to Mercury Yields Stunning Images The joint mission by the European Space Agency and Japan, the BepiColombo spacecraft, recently made its closest approach to Mercury, capturing high-quality, black-and-white images of the planet's barren surface. The images included the first clear view of Mercury's south pole, revealing previously unseen details of craters and peak rings. Excited by the success of the flyby, scientists like David Rothery praised the images for showing more detail than expected. Johannes Benkhoff, the project scientist for BepiColombo, expressed joy over the achievement, noting that everything went as planned. The delay in reaching Mercury, originally scheduled for 2026, was due to technical issues with the spacecraft's thrusters. BepiColombo, equipped with two orbiters, aims to provide insights into Mercury's origins, evolution, and composition by studying its geology and magnetic field. Mercury's mysteries, including its oversize core, water ice, unexpected magnetic field, and volatile-rich composition, have made it a tantalizing target for scientific investigation. BepiColombo's remaining flybys, scheduled for December and January, will be followed by nearly two years of orbiting the sun before finally settling into orbit around Mercury by the end of 2026. Despite the delays, scientists are focused on ensuring a successful mission, emphasizing the importance of patience and safety in achieving their scientific goals.