Image credit: NASA
What is the largest volcano in the Solar System? Mount Olympus, the highest mountain on Mars. Here the curiosities of the Martian Mount Olympus.
Did you know that the largest volcano is not found on Earth? That’s right, Mount Olympus is the largest known volcano in the solar system at 22 km high and 700 km wide.
In mesonstars.com we have compiled these curiosities of Mount Olympus. Surely these curious facts of the Martian Mount Olympus will surprise you.
Mount Olympus (Olympus Mons), rises 22 kilometers above the surrounding plain, which is almost three times the height of Mount Everest.
Mount Olympus is not only the highest mountain on Mars, it is the largest volcano and the highest mountain in the Solar System, of course known until now.
Mount Olympus is located on the red planet, at the approximate coordinates of 18º N, 226º E.
Since long before space probes such as Curiosity or Mars Rovers visited the planet, it was already known to astronomers as Nix Olympica.
How tall is Mount Olympus?
It is bordered by cliffs up to 6 km high.
Its caldera is 85 km long, 60 km wide and 2.4 to 2.8 km deep, and up to six chimneys can be seen.
The base of the volcano measures 600 km in diameter including the outer edge of the cliffs, which gives it an area at its base of approximately 283,000 km², which would be the surface of the Equator.
This volcano is so large that if a person were on Mars they would be unable to see even the silhouette of the volcano. Even going far enough it would be impossible because the curvature of the planet would begin to hide it.
The effect would be, like looking at a “wall,” or mistaking the mountain for the horizon line.
The only way to see the mountain is from space.
In the same way, if someone were at the top of the volcano and looked down, they would not be able to see the end since the slope would reach the horizon.
The top of Mount Olympus is not above the Martian atmosphere.
Mount Olympus is a shield volcano. Shield volcanoes are tall and wide, with a rounded and flattened shape, like some Hawaiian volcanoes, El Manua Loa, the largest volcano on the planet, is an example of this.
Mount Olympus (Mars) vs Everest. Mount Olympus compared to Mount Everest is huge, judging from this image.