Exploratour - The Surface of Mars
A representation of the Tharsis Ridge, showing the altitude of the volcanoes compared to the surrounding areas. The elevated southern hemisphere is also shown. From Mars Global Surveyor.
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NASA/JPL
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NASA/JPL
Continents on Mars
When you look at a picture of Mars, the things that seem the most different on the surface are the two areas which are shown as red and yellow, in the picture to the left. These two regions seem higher than the rest of the land.The largest red-and-yellow region covers the lower half of the planet. This region is called the Highlands. The rest of the surface is called Lowlands.
Near the middle of the highlands near the south pole, is a very deep area called the Hellas Basin (colored blue on this map). This is one of the deepest areas in the solar system.
