Valles Marineris on Mars extends nearly a quarter of the circumference of the planet's equator.
What is it: Kandor Chasma, a large canyon on Mars.
Location: Valles Marineris, the largest network of canyons in the solar system.
When published: August 14, 2025
Mars has a vast network of canyons that stretches for about 4,000 kilometers around the equator. This canyon system, called Valles Marineris, is the largest in the solar system, dwarfing Earth's largest canyon, which stretches 750 kilometers beneath the Greenland ice sheet. (Condolences on the Grand Canyon and its mere 440 kilometers of length.)
First photographed by NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1972, Valles Marineris has been repeatedly photographed by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera during its 19 years in orbit. However, this geological wonder still holds many secrets.
This latest image, taken May 24 and released last week, shows the eastern slope of Candor Chasm, one of the largest canyons in Valles Marineris. The findings could change planetary scientists' understanding of Mars' ancient environment.
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Scientists at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, which developed and operates the camera, said in a description of the image that, using its ability to see detail down to the size of a kitchen table, HiRISE created an image that shows layered sedimentary rock deposits several meters thick. Importantly, these sedimentary rock layers likely date to after the formation of the canyon itself, as they appear to have been eroded, deformed, and folded by tectonic movements.
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Mars does not have plate tectonics like Earth. According to NASA, its crust is one giant plate. However, as it cools, faults and cracks still form in the Martian crust. Unlike Earth's Grand Canyon, which is cut by a river, Valles Marineris, including Candor, is thought to have formed as a result of volcanic activity, with landslides, floods, and erosion later giving it its modern appearance.
In 2021, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported that the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a joint mission between ESA and the Russian Space Agency, had detected water beneath the surface of Candor Chasm. It is estimated that up to 40% of the near-surface material in Valles Marineris may be water. This is similar to permafrost regions on Earth, such as Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia, where water ice is permanently preserved beneath dry soil due to persistent cold temperatures.
The steep slopes and chaotic landscape make exploring Kandor Canyon a challenging task for a rover. However, the German Space Agency's Valles Marineris Exploration project is investigating the possibility of sending a team of autonomous rovers, crawlers and drones into this challenging terrain.
For more amazing space photos, check out our Space Photos of the Week archive.
TOPICS space photo of the week
Jamie Carter, Social Link Navigator, Live Science Contributor
Jamie Carter is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor based in Cardiff, UK. He is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Stargazing and lectures on astronomy and nature. Jamie writes regularly for Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife magazine, Scientific American and many other publications. He edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.
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