<p>Rainbow colors reveal elevation changes as the Tharsis Tholus volcano rises from the surrounding terrain on Mars, seen in a newly released picture from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/esaMI/Mars_Express/index.html">European Space Agency's Mars Express</a> orbiter.</p><p>The volcano towers almost 5 miles (8 kilometers) and spreads more than 96 by 77 miles (155 by 125 kilometers) at its base. In addition to its deep, crater-like caldera—formed when the central magma chamber collapsed—the volcano suffered from collapses on its eastern and western flanks that created vertical cliffs several kilometres high.</p>
Battered Volcano
Rainbow colors reveal elevation changes as the Tharsis Tholus volcano rises from the surrounding terrain on Mars, seen in a newly released picture from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter.
The volcano towers almost 5 miles (8 kilometers) and spreads more than 96 by 77 miles (155 by 125 kilometers) at its base. In addition to its deep, crater-like caldera—formed when the central magma chamber collapsed—the volcano suffered from collapses on its eastern and western flanks that created vertical cliffs several kilometres high.
Space Pictures This Week: Mars Volcano, Eagle Nebula, More
A "broken" Mars volcano, a Mercury crater full of hollows, and a neighboring star cluster feature among this week's best space pictures.
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