New Photos Unveil Massive Scar On Surface Of Mars In Unprecedented Detail

Captured by the Mars Express orbiter's high-resolution stereo camera, the images capture a 600-kilometer-long (373-mile-long) scar on Mars' surface,

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently released a set of stunning images showcasing a massive scar on the surface of Mars. Captured by the Mars Express orbiter's high-resolution stereo camera, the images capture a 600-kilometer-long (373-mile-long) scar on Mars' surface, longer than the Grand Canyon. This scar, known as Aganippe Fossa, is a patchy, roughly 600-km-long feature known as a 'graben', a feature formed when tectonic forces stretch and crack a planet's crust, ESA explained. 

The images also reveal varied surface features of Mars in great detail, showing both clustered, uneven hills and smooth, gently sloping cliffs covered in debris, referred to as hummocky and lobate terrains, respectively.

''This incredible image from our Mars Express shows a giant crack, Aganippe Fossa, slicing across the flank of Arsia Mons, one of Mars' mightiest volcanoes (dwarfs even Earth's tallest!). Scientists believe this 600km long gash formed as magma stretched and tore the Martian crust. But the mysteries don't stop there! The strange, zebra-striped terrain nearby hints at windblown dust and ancient glaciers,'' ESA wrote while sharing the pictures on Instagram.