Spacecraft Buzzes Mercury’s North Pole and Beams Back Stunning Photos

The Mercury's north pole taken by the European-Japanese spacecraft BepiColombo. European Space Agency via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—A spacecraft has beamed back some of the best close-up photos yet of Mercury’s north pole.

The European and Japanese robotic explorer swooped as close as 183 miles above Mercury’s night side before passing directly over the planet’s north pole. The European Space Agency released the stunning snapshots Thursday, showing the permanently shadowed craters at the top of our solar system’s smallest, innermost planet.