Here’s an orthoimage of the famous Olympus Mons on Mars, with the different colors representing different elevations. It’s just a taste of the 3-D goodness to come. The European Space Agency is getting ready to release a new high-resolution Digital Terrain Model dataset that will let researchers build their own 3-D models of Mars’ topography. The data comes thanks to the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the ESA’s Mars Express orbiter. Knowing exactly where the surface of Mars is in relation to other features will help scientists interpret radar data and other studies. And maybe make insanely detailed Mars globes. I totally want one. [ESA]
