A View from Venus: Rift Valley
Explanation:
Color information from the
Soviet Venera landers and radar data from
the Magellan spacecraft
were used to construct this striking perspective view of the
Venusian landscape. (In this computer
generated image, the vertical scale has been exagerated.)
In the foreground is the edge of a rift valley created by faulting in
the crust of
Venus.
The valley runs all the way to the base of
Gula Mons, a 2 mile high volcano seen here on the right,
some 450 miles in the distance.
On the left is another volcano, Sif Mons.
Using radar to pierce the dense clouds continuously shrouding
the Face of Venus, Magellan was
able to explore over 98% of
the Venusian surface, revealing
a a diverse and
tantalizing topography.
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.
