Mars Has The Tallest Mountain Known In The Solar system

The tallest mountain yet found on another planet is another interesting facts about Mars. This gigantic peak, known as Olympus Mons (Latin for "Mount Olympus"), is around 16 miles (25 km) tall and 373 miles (600 km) in diameter. That dwarfs any comparable peak on Earth due to its astounding size. Mount Everest, which stands 29,032 feet (8,849 meters) taller than us (above sea level), is a pitiful contrast.

However, as Mars lacks oceans as Earth does, it could be more accurate to compare it to another massive mountain, such as Hawaii's Mauna Kea, which rises 32,696 feet (9,966 meters, or 6.2 miles) above sea level (but just 13,728 feet of that is above sea level). But Mauna Kea is still dwarfed by Olympus Mons.

Olympus Mons is a shield volcano that is assumed to have been extinct for a very long time and that was active over a billion years ago. That occurred so long ago that it predates the most complex life forms on Earth, if not all of them. It is significant to note that some Mars specialists think the planet might still be somewhat active right now, given certain signs of more recent lava flows. This is hotly contested, though.

The tallest mountain in the solar system: Olympus Mons