The new map of Mars consists of 110,000 images. It’s like Google Maps of the Red Planet

Behind the project are scientists from Caltech, who have created a map that covers approximately 25 square meters of area per pixel. Thanks to this, we can talk about the highest accuracy in history (in relation to Mars, of course). Suffice it to say that it contains about 5.7 trillion pixels.

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For comparison, Viking Orbiter MDIM 2.1.0 Update It was about 10 million pixels. The magnitude of the challenge that awaits American researchers is best illustrated by the fact that if this map were printed and then spread on the ground, it would easily cover an area equivalent to the size of a large football field.

From this perspective, it becomes a little understandable why it took six years to create the map. As its creators admit, during this time they have spent tens of thousands of hours merging individual images into this amazing mosaic. The algorithm that helped scientists match images based on features and atmospheric conditions on the Red Planet was undoubtedly useful.

The new map of Mars contains 5.7 trillion pixels. The previous version, Viking Orbiter MDIM 2.1, had about 10 million pixels

Unfortunately, where the artificial intelligence failed, it was necessary to send a human. As a result, for the 13,000 images the algorithm could not match, a manual procedure was necessary. The map already exists Available on the NASA website Thanks to that we can feel like we are in Google Maps. This time, however, we are not exploring our own planet, but an object tens of millions of kilometers from Earth.

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Thanks to this interactive map, both scientists and all those interested in Mars can get to know the topography of the local area better. And there is a lot to see. The tool covers a number of niches, both the most common and the less common. Whether you want to visit the highest volcano in the entire solar system or explore the regions visited by space probes and perseverance, it is all within your reach now.