3 September 2007 20 views No Comment Print This Post  Email This Post

Three months ago the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took a captured what looked to be a ‘bottomless’ pit on the Martian surface. The image taken directly from over head showed a hole approximately 150 meters in diameter, with no visible bottom or sides.

A more recent image clearly shows sides to the pit. Researchers believe that this is pit may be the opening to an a lava tube formed by collapsing rock and draining lava. A cave of this size represents several interesting opportunities for researchers. The cave could offer shelter to from strong UV radiation for both Martian life and for future human visitors.

The best guess on the depth of the pit put it at approximately 80 meters, however the bottom is still not viable so a true depth is not known at this point.

[via NewScientistSpace]