Satellite captures stunning images of Mars' Aganippe Fossa canyon
A satellite orbiting the Red Planet has captured unprecedented images of the Martian canyon Aganippe Fossa. Although it has attracted the attention of astronomers for nearly a century, it has only recently been documented from such a close range, revealing new details of the gigantic canyon, which is approximately 373 miles long.
12:52 PM EDT, July 8, 2024
According to IFLScience, when compared to canyons on Earth, Aganippe Fossa is only 277 miles long, while the much smaller yet more widely known American Grand Canyon is only 377 miles long.
Great cracks on Mars
Despite its impressive size, the Martian Aganippe Fossa is not the largest canyon in the Solar System. That title belongs to Valles Marineris, which stretches an astounding 2,485 miles. Importantly, this is also a Martian feature.
The images of Aganippe Fossa were taken thanks to the European Space Agency (ESA) and its Mars Express satellite. They also show fascinating landscapes of the entire Tharsis region, a Martian area rich in volcanic giants, including Olympus Mons, which stands 16 miles high.
The mysterious origin of Aganippe Fossa
Although the origin of Aganippe Fossa remains unclear, astronomers and the ESA have their theories. It is suggested that its current shape and structure might be due to past volcanic activity and magma rising from beneath the surface of Mars millions of years ago. More precise dating of the formation of Aganippe Fossa is currently not possible, according to scientists.
Although the canyon is incredibly impressive, it is much smaller compared to Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the entire Solar System. Nevertheless, both phenomena undoubtedly testify to the astounding power and scale of geological processes on Mars. In the images, Aganippe Fossa may resemble cracks or scars on Mars, making it appear exceedingly majestic, according to observers of the Solar System.
