Beyond the Moon...and back...to Craters of the Moon

Since the dawn of time, people have gazed far beyond the Moon. We have always been in awe of space and noticed that those bright lights in the sky at night would spin and twist but always remain in the same alignment. Some of the lights, however, were especially bright and seemed to wander wherever they pleased. Some nights they were visible, some nights they were not. We came to know them, not as stars at all, but as planets.

After we visited the Moon, our attention turned to other bodies in our solar system. Although we haven't sent an astronaut to another planet, we have sent unmanned spacecraft and they've sent back some amazing photos from Mars and Venus.

The question...how do we know what those photos show?

The answer once again...Craters of the Moon and the Snake River Plain, Idaho.

Scientists and geologists have determined that the volcanics on Mars and Venus resembled that of the Earth much more closely than those features on the Moon. So close, that the Snake River Plain and Craters of the Moon can be used as a volcanic laboratory to study the volcanics of not just the Moon, but other solar system bodies as well.

This photo shows the same feature on all three planets.
Can you name it?




Mars

Mars may not have always been the dry, cold planet it is now. Because of a thin atmosphere, it has been constantly bombarded by meteors.

Go back to Activity #1 and review volcanic features on the Earth and Moon if needed. Then, click on the images below to identify Martian volcanic features.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)



Mars Images


Mars Image 1
 Mars Image 2
Mars Image 3
 Mars Image 4
Mars Image 5
 Mars Image 6
Mars Image 7




Venus

Until the advent of radar imaging in the '60's, the surface of Venus had been hidden from view. The absence of water on Venus may explain why it has a dense atmosphere made up mostly of carbon dioxide. Radar is able to penetrate that thick layer. It reflects differently off smooth or rough areas producing a black and white image. Regions that are bright are considered to be rough and dark areas are considered to be smooth. When viewing images of Venus then, one must realize that not all large lava flows will be black. It is important to look for other clues to volcanic features.

Click on the images below to identify Venusian volcanic features.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)



Venus Images

Venus Image 1
 Venus Image 2
Venus Image 3
 Venus Image 4
Venus Image 5
 Venus Image 6
Venus Image 7

 


Bonus Images

If you haven't had enough, click on these Bonus Images. What's different about these images? They are NOT volcanic features but are still similar to features found on Earth. Check 'em out and make your best guess.


Bonus Image 1
 Bonus Image 2
Bonus Image 3
 Bonus Image 4
Bonus Image 5



Conclusion

So, you have trained much like NASA astronauts do; using resources ranging from early black and white photos of the Moon to sophisticated radar images of Venus. This brings us full circle back to Craters of the Moon. This incredible volcanic laboratory has been used to study features on Earth and the Moon and in the future will certainly be a valuable resource in explaining and identifying volcanic features in our solar system. Explore the web for more information and photos of the Snake River Plain, Craters of the Moon, and space exploration.


Last Modified Wed, Feb 7, 2001