October 7, 2008--NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has completed a close encounter with the planet nearest to the sun.

This October 6 image shows the surface of Mercury from an altitude of some 17,000 miles (27,000 kilometers).

The image offers a first look at most of the area east of Kuiper, a bright crater visible just south of (below) the image center.

MESSENGER offers NASA's best look at Mercury since the Mariner 10 mission of 1974-75.