We have seen a number of impact basins in the solar system – we have never, ever seen anything like this in the centre of any of them, and it's fair to say that we haven't seen any features like this elsewhere on Mercury or on the Moon.

The troughs appear to be stretch marks formed as a result of part of the surface expanding. The expansion may have occurred when volcanic activity injected material below the surface in the area, or when the surface rebounded after being pushed down by impacts.

A 40-kilometre crater sits near the centre of the radiating troughs. What isn't clear is what is the relationship of that crater to the radial trough complex. Did it help to form some or all of the troughs? Or did something simply impact serendipitously at the bull's-eye?

What do you think?