Olympus Mons: The Largest Volcano in the Solar System 

Jan 06, 2024, 18:40 IST

Harshit Sabarwal

All images: NASA, Freepik

Jan 06, 2024, 18:40 IST

Harshit Sabarwal

Olympus Mons is Three Times the Size of Mt. Everest 

Olympus Mons, which is on Mars, is the largest volcano in our solar system. The Martian mountain towers high above the surrounding plains of Mars and is three times the size of Mount Everest. 

What is Olympus Mons’ Size? 

According to NASA, Olympus Mons is 624 km in diametre, 25 km high, and is rimmed by a 6 km high scarp. The volume of Olympus Mons is 100 times larger than that of Mauna Loa, which is the largest volcano on Earth. 

A Shield Volcano 

Olympus Mons is a shield volcano. This means that rather than violently spewing molten material, a shield volcano is created by lava slowly flowing down its sides. 

Olympus Mons Last Erupted 25 Million Years Ago 

Olympus Mons last erupted 25 million years ago, and some reports suggest it may still be an active volcano. 

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