A Virtual Flyover of the Mawrth Vallis on the Surface of Mars by the Mars Express Orbiter

The European Space Agency has created a virtual flyover of the Mawrth Vallis on the surface of Mars using images taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the Mars Express orbiter.

This movie, based on images taken by ESA’s Mars Express, highlights Mawrth Vallis, a 600 km-long, 2 km-deep outflow channel at the boundary of the southern highlands and the northern lowlands of Mars.

The movie begins at the mouth of the channel in Chryse Planitia, and heads towards the apparent source region in the Arabia Terra highlands.

The 4 billion year-old plateau is characterised by many impact craters, indicative of its great age.