This shot of the Echus Chasma on Mars was taken by the European Space Agency in 2005 and released yesterday.

What made this big hole in the ground? ESA says “it is still debated whether the valleys originate from precipitation, groundwater springs or liquid or magma flows on the surface.”

The agency combined data from a number of orbits to create a whole series of images and elevation models of the region. More below the fold.

Images: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)