APOD: 2024 September 9 – Mars: Moon, Craters, and Volcanos

Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the September 9th edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). You'll need to actually visit the APOD site in order to see the "mouse-over" features on today's image. The European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express space probe captured this photo in July 2024. One of the Red Planet's two moons, Phobos, is just left of center. It orbits Mars at a distance of 3,700 miles, so we can assume Mars Express is somewhat further away from the planet's surface. Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in the Solar System, is above center and to the right. On the horizon is the shield volcano Pavonis Mons. and various impact craters dot the plateaus below. Bravo, ESA. This is a great picture.