Olympus mountain the highest in the solar system
The highest in the solar system – Olympus mountain
The extinct volcano on Mars, Olympus, or Nix Olympica became known as the highest mountain in the solar system. Before the spacecraft showed that Olympus is a mountain, astronomers knew this place as Nix Olympica (“the Snow of Olympus”). In fact, the height of Olympus Mountain – 27 km, and 25 km to the average level of the surface of Mars. Noteworthy, Olympus is several times higher than the highest mountain on Earth!
Stretches 540 km wide, Olympus Mountain has steep slopes around the edges up to 7 km. However, the reasons for the formation of these gigantic cliffs don’t have a convincing explanation.
The length of the volcanic caldera of Olympus – 85 km, width – 60 km. Depth of caldera reaches 3 km. For comparison, the largest volcano on Earth, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, crater diameter is 6.5 km.
According to science, the atmospheric pressure at the top of this pyramid represents only 2% of the pressure typical of the average Martian surface. For comparison, the pressure at the top of Mount Everest is 25% of the sea level.
The Olympus
In fact, Olympus occupies so much space that it cannot be seen entirely from the planet’s surface. Thus, the distance required for observation of the volcano, is so large that it will go away over the horizon. Even if you stand on the highest point, the volcano’s slope would stretch to the horizon.
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