Mercury rising: Nasa probe captures parts of the planet never seen before

Stunning new images of the surface of Mercury have been unveiled by Nasa scientists as part of a project to map the planet's surface.

They were taken by the Messenger probe after a
4.9 billion mile journey that took over six years.

Scientists hope the pictures can unlock the secrets of the planet where temperatures reach 800F but plummet to -150F at night.

"Mercury has many mysteries and now we will be able to get the close-up information that will unlock these secrets," said James Head, a geological sciences professor who is part of the Messenger team.