# @europeanspaceagency on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DJjyYsJsrY3
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/35582145-europeanspaceagency-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/9222ea7104.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-05-19T15:50:00.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** J.L.Lopez (@xandler80) — https://gondola.cc/xandler80

## Caption

Two faces of Mars, one breathtaking view 🔴

Our Mars Express has done it again capturing an incredible snapshot of the Acheron Fossae region that reveals Mars as you’ve never seen it before: rugged and wrinkled on one side, smooth and sleek on the other.

What’s going on here?
This patch of the Red Planet has been shaped by ancient volcanic forces and shifting crust. Those long ditches on the right? They’re known as grabens – formed nearly four billion years ago when Mars’s surface was stretched, fractured, and blocks of ground collapsed. Think of them as the planet’s tectonic stretch marks.

Just out of frame are Olympus Mons (the tallest volcano on Mars!) to the south, and Alba Mons to the north-east, both of which helped sculpt this striking landscape.

In the centre, we can spot rock glaciers — yes, glaciers made of ice and rock — that once flowed away from the cliffs, leaving behind graceful, wave-like patterns. These smoother, younger plains were later resurfaced by lava, which blanketed the landscape with fresh rock.

And those dome-like bulges? Volcanic peaks, likely several kilometres high — some of which have been sliced straight through by the grabens. Mars wasn’t just active — it was dramatic.

Swipe through to zoom in on these features in 3D, check out the labelled terrain, and get a broader view of Mars, including just how close this is to those towering volcanoes.

Mars Express has been orbiting and exploring Mars since 2003, capturing stunning imagery and transforming our understanding of the Red Planet.
This latest view was taken in October 2024 by its High Resolution Stereo Camera.

Which feature grabs your attention most: the fractured grabens, the flowing rock glaciers, or the lava-smoothed plains? Let us know in the comments!

📸 europeanspaceagency/ germanaerospacecenter/ fu_berlin; creativecommons  BY-SA 3.0 IGO
📸 NASA/MGS/MOLA

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 8,275
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- **Comments:** 37

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ESA - European Space Agency | @europeanspaceagency | https://gondola.cc/europeanspaceagency | Government Organization |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Producer |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Editor |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Social Media Manager |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Publisher |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Copywriter |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Community Manager |

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