This photo shows the famous "Figure 5' feature on Mercury, first observed by the great Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli in the early 1880s. Like most features on Mercury, it is difficult -- if not impossible -- to observe visually in amateur-size telescopes. Good seeing and numerous video frames are needed to capture details on Mercury. This photo was taken with a modest 6" Newtonian with a digital point-and -shoot camera at 150X. Telescopic Mercury photography has been largely been excluded by amateurs, but as you can see from this photo, a large scope and expensive imaging camera are not needed to get great photos of Mercury! I feel humbled and honored to have captured Schiaparelli's 'Figure 5' using today's technology, knowing he first saw it visually with an 8" refractor. Try your luck at imaging "The Messenger of the Gods," you might be pleasantly surprised with the results! (Also see my other Mercury photo in the 'Planets Gallery.)
Ernie (PilotStar)