Martian mountain meets Mt. McKinley

The Mars Rover Curiosity, which made touchdown on Mars late Sunday night has begun sending images of the red planet back to earth. One photograph captures the Martian Mount Sharp, an 18,000 foot behemoth rising from the floor of the crater Curiosity is currently exploring.

One internet blogger, Philip Bump observed the similarities of Mt. Sharp and Alaska’s Mt. McKinley, noting that McKinley rises 20,320 feet from a similar low altitude. Comparisons between the two mountains can be seen on Bump’s website:

Officially, it’s Aeolis Mons, and it stands 18,000 feet above the crater floor. Here’s how that compares to Mount McKinley, America’s tallest peak at 20,320 feet. (McKinley photo via Jitsen Chang.). The sea levels / floor levels are roughly comparable. But this is just an approximation. Do not make wagers based on this.

Via pbump.net