Mercury’s dark secret revealed

Graphite keeps inner planet dim

Crater on Mercury

DARK PAST  Akutagawa crater on Mercury is one of three craters where the MESSENGER spacecraft found deposits of carbon dug up from the planet’s original crust.

NASA, JHUAPL, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Ever since Mariner 10 flew by Mercury in 1974 and 1975, researchers have known that the planet was darker than the moon.