A satellite orbiting Mars has captured the best-ever images of a gigantic"scar" carved across the Red Planet's surface. The dark ravine, which is accompanied by unusual zebra-like stripes, is likely the result of extreme volcanic activity millions of years ago.
The graben is incomplete, with various breaks in the groove from end to end, but it is considered to be a single structure that stretches around 375 miles . That is longer than the Grand Canyon, which is 277 miles from one end to the other, according to the National Park Service. However, the structure is still significantly shorter than Mars' Valles Marineris — the largest canyon in the solar system, which runs for more than 2,500 miles along the Red Planet's equator.
One of the most interesting things in the photo is the surrounding landscape, which varies on either side of the giant crack. To the left, the ground appears to be very uneven and contains several mounds, grooves and ridges. But to the right, the land looks smooth and is painted with"zebra-like" rocky stripes, ESA representatives said.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Aganippe Fossa is located near the base of Arsia Mons, a 12-mile-tall extinct volcano on Mars' Tharsis plateau. This region contains two other major volcanoes, Pavonis Mons and Ascraeus Mons, and together the three dead peaks form a near-perfect line perpendicular to the planet's equator.