Welcome to Hebes Chasma

The hits just keep comin’ from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and its High Resolution Stereo Camera. I know this isn’t a new image, but it’s new to me, so I thought I’d share it here.

This is a perspective view of Hebes Chasma taken on September 16, 2005.  The detail is amazing, and the resolution is about 15 meters per pixel (about 45 feet per pixel).

Click on the image here and you’ll get a larger version — take some time to explore this 8,000-meter deep canyon carved across the surface of Mars.  You’ll find great details in the intricately sculpted canyon walls, some craters, and other formations called Light-Toned Deposits that indicate that water once flowed across this region of the Red Planet.

When I first saw this image it reminded me of flying over the desert southwest of the United States. I imagine some future explorers will take a guided tour over Hebes Chasma someday and see this scene “up close and personal” just prior to their landing and ultimate exploration mission.

Thanks to Mark for pointing my attention to the most recent images from Mars Express.