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Q 'n A
Answers To Your Questions
SPACE TODAY ONLINE ~~ COVERING SPACE FROM EARTH TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE
Q. Is it correct that the tallest mountain is not on Earth? — Charlayne V.
A. Yes, it's on Mars.
Its name is Olympus Mons and it is extraordinarily tall. In fact, it is more than 16 miles tall. At about 88,000 feet in height, it is the highest volcano in our Solar System.
Olympus Mons is three times as tall as the highest point on Earth, which is Mt. Everest.
Olympus Mons is so big that, if it were on Earth, its base would cover the entire state of New Mexico.
Olympus Mons is positioned in the Tharsis region of the Red Planet's western hemisphere.
The volcano appears to have been dormant for eons.
Here are some photos of Olympus Mons recorded by the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter as it was flying 170 miles above the surface of the Red Planet:
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