Beneath Venus Clouds
Explanation:
If the thick clouds covering Venus were removed,
how would the surface appear?
Using an
imaging radar technique, the
Magellan spacecraft was able to
lift the veil from the
Face of Venus and produce
this spectacular high resolution image of
the planet's surface.
Red, in this false-color map, represents
mountains, while blue represents valleys.
This 3-kilometer resolution
map is a composite of
Magellan images compiled between 1990 and 1994.
Gaps were filled in by the Earth-based
Arecibo Radio Telescope.
The large yellow/red area in the north is
Ishtar Terra featuring
Maxwell
Montes,
the largest mountain on
Venus.
The large highland regions are analogous to continents on Earth.
Scientists are particularly interested in
exploring the geology of
Venus because of its
similarity to Earth.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
