The first image of the Red Planet taken by Europe's Mars Express probe since it arrived in orbit has been released. The picture shows a part of the Valles Marineris, a giant canyon that runs across the middle of the planet. The image, taken from an altitude of 275 km, was obtained by the probe's High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and shows detail down to 12 metres. Mars Express will spend its time studying the Martian atmosphere, the planet's structure, and its geology. Dr John Murray, of the Open University, UK, who is on the camera team, told BBC News Online: "This is the first 3D camera sent to Mars. "It is 10 times better than anything sent before. We have high hopes for it and how it will advance our understanding of Mars." He added: "These first images are the culmination of more than 10 years of work. In a matter of minutes, we are able to map an area greater than Great Britain and Ireland showing details down to a few metres in diameter. "At the end of the two-year mission, we will know the surface of Mars better than we do the Earth. "The giant canyon on Mars, the Valles Marineris, is the largest canyon in the Solar System.

It is 4,000 km long (as long as the whole of Europe) and up to 10 km deep in places, more than six times deeper than the Grand Canyon, Arizona." All the probe's instruments have successfully been switched on, and have started to deliver data.

View: Full Article | Source: BBC News