Mars Express orbiter reveals Red Planet’s volcanic history
Mars's volcanic history is being uncovered by the rovers and probes investigating the Red Planet.
Published:
Mars is host to some of the largest volcanoes found in the Solar System, which planetary scientists believe may once have been very much active.
This view of Mars’s Terra Cimmeria captured by the Mars Express orbiter on 8 August 2019 reveals dark surface minerals like basalt, formed from volcanic ash and dust released during the Red Planet’s ancient past.
Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Authors
Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Staff Writer. He fell in love with the night sky when he caught his first glimpse of Orion, aged 10.
