Monday, March 28, 2011

APOD 3.8

The Valles Marineris is the largest canyon in the solar system, 3,000 kilometers long.
See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download
the highest resolution version available.
Believed to have started as a crack as the planet was cooling, the massive gash in the surface is 600 kilometers across at its widest point, and stretches 8 kilometers deep. The earth's grand canyon is less than a third of its length, only 1.8 kilometers deep, and a 20th of its girth. to peer down a chasm so deep would certainly be intimidating. This mosaic was build from images taken in the 70 by the viking orbiter.

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