- An interactive map reveals how the Solar System’s mountains dwarf Mount Everest
- The highest mountain in the Solar System is located on the asteroid Vesta
Since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first conquered Everest in 1953, the mountain has been the greatest challenge for any climber.
But as the prospect of humanity spreading across the solar system becomes more real, mountaineers of the future could face an even more arduous challenge.
This incredible interactive map reveals the tallest mountains in the solar system, with several peaks dwarfing the highest points on Earth.
The tallest peak in the solar system is found on the asteroid Vesta, a space rock so large that it accounts for nine percent of the mass of all known asteroids.
At 22,500 m (74,000 ft), Vesta Reasilvia The mountain is almost three times the height of Everest and is formed by an impact crater that covers 90 percent of the entire asteroid.
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In second place is Olympus Mons on Mars, the tallest volcano in the solar system, at 21,945 meters (72,000 feet) above Mars Global Datum, the equivalent of sea level.
Not only is Olympus Mons exceptionally high, but this “shield volcano” is also exceptionally wide, stretching over an area the same size as France.
Fortunately for any future Martian explorers, however, the volcano appears to have been dormant for at least the past 25 million years.
What do we know about the highest peak on Mars?
Olympus Mons, rising 21,945 metres (72,000 ft) above Mars Global Datum (the equivalent of sea level), is the largest mountain on Mars.
It was first discovered in 1971 by NASA’s Mariner 9 spacecraft and is named after the mythological home of the Greek gods.
Although this is only the second largest mountain in the solar system, the peak holds the title of being the largest volcano.
The mountain is part of a chain of peaks called the Tharsis Rise, located near the planet’s equator.
Unlike volcanoes on Earth, Olympus Mons is not formed by the movement of tectonic plates, but is located on a magam hot spot.
This has allowed the volcano to develop over millions of years of activity, allowing it to grow to colossal proportions, eventually covering an area the size of France.
Recently, scientists made the surprising discovery that ice forms on the top of the mountain.
Every day, a layer of frost the thickness of a human hair is deposited on the summit, storing enough water to fill 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The tallest mountain on Mars, Olympus Mons, rises nearly 22 km (13.6 mi) above the Martian landscape.
