Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
An artist-grade oil paint we are researching, based on the darkest ground on Mercury: the Low-Reflectance Material mapped by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. MESSENGER's X-ray, gamma-ray and neutron measurements showed a surface that is very low in iron and rich in magnesium, and found that this dark material holds about 1–3 wt% more graphite than the terrain around it (Peplowski et al., 2016, Nature Geoscience). The result is a dark pewter, Payne's-grey earth with a soft graphite sheen.
Mineral Composition (approximate target, based on published Mercury surface models such as Namur & Charlier):
- Iron-free forsterite (olivine): ~50%
- Sodic feldspar: ~47%
- Natural graphite: 1–3%
Notes:
- Mercury's surface carries very little iron (about 2% FeO or less), so the formula uses iron-free, magnesium-rich minerals.
- Mercury's surface also contains calcium and magnesium sulfides and trace metal. We leave these out because they aren't stable or safe in an oil binder.
- This paint is in research. The formula, color and handling may change.
An artist-grade oil paint we are researching, based on the darkest ground on Mercury: the Low-Reflectance Material mapped by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. MESSENGER's X-ray, gamma-ray and neutron measurements showed a surface that is very low in iron and rich in magnesium, and found that this dark material holds about 1–3 wt% more graphite than the terrain around it (Peplowski et al., 2016, Nature Geoscience). The result is a dark pewter, Payne's-grey earth with a soft graphite sheen.
Mineral Composition (approximate target, based on published Mercury surface models such as Namur & Charlier):
- Iron-free forsterite (olivine): ~50%
- Sodic feldspar: ~47%
- Natural graphite: 1–3%
Notes:
- Mercury's surface carries very little iron (about 2% FeO or less), so the formula uses iron-free, magnesium-rich minerals.
- Mercury's surface also contains calcium and magnesium sulfides and trace metal. We leave these out because they aren't stable or safe in an oil binder.
- This paint is in research. The formula, color and handling may change.