Tharsis

Mars · volcanoes · geology

Biggest volcanoes ever. Tharsis is home to the three enormous shield volcanoes called the Tharsis Montes. These volcanoes are so gigantic that they are the largest volcanoes in the entire Solar System, making Earth's biggest volcanoes look tiny by comparison.

Located on Mars. Tharsis is a vast volcanic plateau centered near the equator in the western hemisphere of Mars. This giant region covers a huge area of the planet's surface.

Built by a hot spot. Scientists think that Tharsis overlays a hot spot, similar to the hot spots under volcanic island chains here on Earth. This hot spot pushes hot rock up from deep inside Mars, creating these enormous volcanoes.

Visible from space. The three main volcanoes in Tharsis, called Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons, are so massive that they can be seen from Mars orbit. They look like giant shield volcanoes, which are broad and gently sloped.