Melas, Candor and Ophir Chasmas in colour

This images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, shows the central part of the 4000-kilometre long Valles Marineris canyon on Mars.

The HRSC obtained this image during during orbits 334 and 360, on 24 April and 2 May 2004 respectively, with a resolution of approximately 21 metres per pixel for the earlier orbit and 30 metres per pixel for the latter.

The scene shows an area of approximately 300 by 600 kilometres and is created from an image mosaic from the two orbit sequences. The image is located between 3º to 13º South, and 284º to 289º East. North is up.