Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Orbiter Camera
Top of Olympus Mons
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-455, 17 August 2003
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
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NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
Olympus Mons is considered to be the largest and tallest volcano in the Solar System. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows the western summit region of Olympus Mons. This area is at an elevation just over 20 km (12 mi) above the 0 km martian datum. The bright feature on the right (east) side of the image is the uppermost wall of the caldera (collapse pit) at the top of the volcano. This image shows a lava flow that was cut by the pit walls when the caldera collapse occurred. Below (south of) the lava flow is a narrow channel formed by lava at some time in the distant past. This view of the summit region of Olympus Mons is located near 10.6°N, 134.0°W. The area shown is about 7.9 km (4.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the right.
Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, California and Denver, Colorado.
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