It’s known as Olympus Mons, and through the facts presented further, we reveal the true nature of this monstrous shield volcano towering over the red planet’s surface. When our planetary neighborhood has so many surprises and enigmatic structures, one can’t help but wonder what the extrasolar planets might have in store for us! Experience the awesome size of Martian volcano Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in the solar system, three times the height of Everest. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the direct neighbor of Earth. ► Its actual discovery and identification as a volcanic mountain was made by the Mariner 9 spacecraft, launched by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, that reached the planet on November 14, 1971, amidst a global dust storm that engulfed the planet. Earth was believed to be the only planet with liquid water until it was discovered on Mars too. Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. Create your account, Already registered? Steadily deposited layers of basaltic lava flow have been depositing and solidifying over millions of years to raise the mountain to its existing altitude. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Some day, our descendants might actually visit Olympus Mons for a hike and look upon a new world that’s been made habitable through terraformation. It is equiped with engines that can propel the ship at 250,000 km/h (or more then 155,000 mph), which is considered 8 times faster than light travel. This is thought to be because of the blood-red color of the planet which was also used by other ancient cultures. In this lesson, you will get all the little details about Mars's big beast of a mountain, Olympus Mons. Is Olympus Mons the largest volcano in the solar system? This has also made Olympus Mons a massive size—approximately 375 miles wide! © copyright 2003-2020 Study.com. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The number of craters suggests that areas of Olympus Mons range in age from approximately 2 million-115 million years old. 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It covers a total area of 295,254 km2 or 113,998 sq. ► The largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons was formed and has been growing since the last 3 billion years, through the lava outflow from a hotspot. mi. The low gravity on Mars (approximately one-third of Earth’s gravitational pull), a sluggishly moving surface crust, and a high degree of historical volcanic activity are three of the prime reasons why the planet’s mountains are several times higher, compared to their terrestrial counterparts. Shield volcanoes (named so because their entire structure resembles a warrior’s shield) are almost entirely made up of cooled lava flows piling over time, and they tend to be flatter compared to other types. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. ► The exact planetary coordinates of Olympus Mons are 18.65°N 226.2°E. Uranus appears to be a featureless blue ball upon first glance, but this … Services. Tiny-Human Takeaway: Olympus Mons is 16 miles at its peak and 370 miles across. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Since Mars is a small planet, and the slopes of Olympus Mons are so gradual, the edge of the volcano cannot be seen as it extends further than the horizon. Create an account to start this course today. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. ► In terms of height, it is about twice the altitude of Mauna Kea (whose height is about 6.3 miles or 10 km) and thrice that of Mount Everest (whose height is 8.848 km or 5.5 miles). ► The mountain is the youngest shield volcano, that formed during what is known as the Amazonian period of Martian geological history, which began 3 billion years ago. first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. study Olympus Mons is a large volcanic mountain on the planet Mars. Select a subject to preview related courses: There are two large impact craters on Olympus Mons: the Karzok crater and the Pangboche crater. Uranus is tilted on its side. In recent times, it has even been discovered to still hold water very near the surface. (At the summit of Olympus Mons, for instance, the typical daily high is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius), and the low is minus 16 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 8.9 … It is often cited as the largest volcano in the Solar System. These two sites are suspected to be the birthplaces of several meteorites that have landed here on Earth (based on composition analysis). Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal Image credit - NASA