The Moon

The Lunar Surface

• highlands
  Descartes highlands as seen by Apollo 16
• maria
  Mare Imbrium, Mare Orientale
• craters
  Copernicus, more, more, and more craters
• regolith: first-hand description

Origin of the Moon

Intermission

• Compare/contrast: this vs this

Mercury

• MESSENGER mission--three flybys so far, will orbit Mercury in March 2011
• image gallery

Venus

• terrestrial planet comparison
• atmosphere
• surface: global view (radar)
• craters, lava flows
• surface closeup (from Soviet landers): Venera 9 & 10, 1975; Venera 13; Venera 14
• Runaway greenhouse effect