Satellite captures stunning views of Mars' gigantic 'Grand Canyon'

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express satellite captured the new images.

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The Mars Express captured views of the Ius Chasma and Tithonium Chasma, comprising part of the Mars' Valles Marineris canyon system. Valles Marineris is 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) long, 200 kilometers (124 miles) wide, and up to 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) long. The canyon is almost ten times longer, twenty times wider, and five times deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States.

The canyon system is the largest in the Solar System, and on Earth would reach from the northernmost point of Norway to the southernmost point of Sicily. The above high-resolution image was taken with the Mar Express' High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on 21 April 2022 and is a "true colour" image, appearing as it would to the human eye. The resolution captures about 25 meters (82 feet) per pixel.

You can view and download the full-size image here, and read more about the Mars Express' observations here.

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Ius and Tithonium Chasmata in 3D, Credit: ESA

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Topography of Ius and Tithonium Chasmata, Credit: ESA

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Perspective view from inside Tithonium Chasma, Credit: ESA

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Second perspective view from inside Tithonium Chasma, Credit: ESA