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ChromaDepth
Section III: Space
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Mars: Cratered Highlands and Smooth Lowlands
Description: The Aeolis Mensae (Highlands of the Winds) region is in the lower left (southwest) of the area, the Elysium Planitia (Paradise Plain) is to the north, and part of the lower slope of the Elysium Mons volcano is visible at the top of the area
Things to Notice:
- The heavily cratered highland terrain is relatively old and preserves thousands of craters formed by asteroid and meteorite impacts early in Mars' history.
- The Elysium Planitia lowlands were filled in with lava or sediment after the age of heavy bombardment. The slope of the volcano is also younger terrain.
- The large crater below and left of center is Herschel, named after British astronomer Sir William Herschel who discovered the planet Uranus.
- The volcanic cone at far right is called Apollinaris Patera ("Apollo's Bowl").
This terrain height data is from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft.
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