Why is Olympus Mons so large?
Scientists believe that Olympus Mons grew so much larger than any volcano on Earth because of Mars’ low gravity, slow-moving tectonic plates, and high volcanic activity. This means that Olympus Mons, which is already the size of France, could get even bigger as fresh lava flows to the surface and cools.
What would it look like on top of Olympus Mons?
It would be almost imperceptible, Olympus Mons is so large that from a first person perspective it literally slopes from horizon to horizon. Its not a particularly steep mountain, its scale is nearly unfathomable though, it would appear as a long continuous incline.
How tall is the peak of Olympus Mons?
Centred at 19° N, 133° W, Olympus Mons consists of a central edifice 22 km (14 miles) high and 700 km (435 miles) across. Around its perimeter an outward-facing cliff ascends as high as 10 km (6 miles) above the surrounding area.
How old is the Olympus Mons on Mars?
Olympus Mons is so tall that it is often the only thing visibly protruding through Mars’s massive dust storms. Images taken with the Express Orbiter in 2004 helped to assess the age of Olympus Mons through crater analysis. The number of craters suggests that areas of Olympus Mons range in age from approximately 2 million-115 million years old.
How big is Mauna Loa compared to Olympus Mons?
Mauna Loa is a shield volcano 10 km (6.3 mi) high and 120 km (75 mi) across. The volume of Olympus Mons is about 100 times larger than that of Mauna Loa. In fact, the entire chain of Hawaiian islands (from Kauai to Hawaii) would fit inside Olympus Mons!
Which is taller Olympus Mons or Rheasilvia?
Rheasilvia, which is located on the giant asteroid 4 Vesta, is the only known mountain that is taller than Olympus Mons. It stands 23 km above its surrounding terrain, which is only slightly higher than its Martian competitor. In comparison with Earth, Olympus Mons can be measured against a giant shield volcano in Hawaii, Mauna Kea.