NASA, ESA spacecrafts provide most detailed images of Venusian atmosphere

NASAs Messenger and ESAs Venus Express have provided the most detailed multi point images of the Venusian atmosphere seen till date.

Washington, July 20 : NASA's Messenger and ESA's Venus Express have provided the most detailed multi point images of the Venusian atmosphere seen till date.

Agency astronomers say the images result from a June 5 flyby of Venus by Messenger during its long journey to Mercury. Venus Express was already in orbit at the planet, they said.

Messenger and Venus Express carry sets of instruments employing different observation techniques that complement each other.

According to a NASA statement, Messenger made its closest approach to Venus at a distance of approximately 210 miles on the night side of the planet.

During that same time, Venus Express was behind the horizon, almost above the planet's South Pole, at approximately 21,750 miles.

Presently, scientists from both missions are continuing analysis of the images and accompanying data, which include Venus' cloud deck and surface, plasma environment, magnetic fields, and atmosphere.

More results from this joint observation campaign are expected by the end of the year, NASA astronomers said.

Messenger, which stands for Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft, was launched on August 3, 2004, and swung by Venus first on Oct 24, 2006, and for the second time in June. It will enter Mercury's orbit in March 2011.

Venus Express, the European Space Agency's first mission to Venus, was launched on Nov. 9, 2005, and reached the planet on April 11, 2006.

ANI