Ko Simon toku ingoa :tinoflag: on Nostr: I’m always amazed when I remember that Olympus Mons (the tallest mountain in our ...

I’m always amazed when I remember that Olympus Mons (the tallest mountain in our solar system- on Mars) is so tall (27km above the surrounding terrain), but the average slope of the mountain is so shallow, that standing at the bottom of the mountain, its peak would be hidden behind the curvature of the planet.

Learned this a couple of years ago and it blows my mind. #space #mars #science #astronomy

Edit: Really did not expect this one to still be being boosted naturally 19h later… must blow others’ minds too (boosting again now myself cause it seems to have struck a chord).

Edit to add: I’ve since learned it’s also true for a lot of hills in the Scottish highlands too, but they’re nowhere near as big.