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List of Solar System extremes

Topic: Astronomy

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This article describes extreme locations of the Solar System. Entries listed in bold are Solar System-wide extremes.

By feature

Record Data Feature Ref.
Largest canyon 4000 km long, 200 km wide Valles Marineris, Mars [1]
Tallest mountain 22 km (13.6 mi) Rheasilvia central peak, Vesta [2][3]
Tallest volcano 25 km (15.5 mi) Olympus Mons, Mars [4]
Tallest cliff 20 km (12.4 mi) Verona Rupes, Miranda, Uranus [5]
Largest impact crater 2,700 km (1,700 mi) North Polar Basin, Mars [6]

By class

Type Average density Average temperature Average surface gravity
Lowest Highest Lowest Highest Lowest Highest
Star 1.4 g/cm3

Sun[7][8]

5778 K

Sun[9][10]

274 m/s2

Sun[11]

Major planet 0.7 g/cm3Saturn[12][13] 5.51 g/cm3
Earth

[14][15]

73 K

Neptune[16][17][18]

733 K

Venus[19]

3.70 m/s2
Mercury

[18]

23.1 m/s2
Jupiter

[18]

Dwarf planet 1.4 ±0.2 g/cm3 Orcus[20][NB 1] 2.52 ±0.05 g/cm3 Eris[21] 30 K

Makemake

167 K

Ceres

≈0.2 m/s2 Orcus 0.8 m/s2Eris
Major moon of major or dwarf planet [NB 2] 0.98 g/cm3
Tethys 		3.53 g/cm3
Io
[22][23] 		38 K
Triton
[24] 		250 K
Moon
[25] 		0.064 m/s2Mimas 1.796 m/s2Io
Type Escape velocity Mass Volume
(radius)
Lowest Highest Lowest Highest Lowest Highest
Star 617.7 km/s
Sun

[11]

332,830 MEarth
Sun

[26][27]

695,000 km
Sun

[27]

Major planet 4.3 km/s
Mercury
[18] 		59.5 km/s
Jupiter
[18] 		0.055 MEarth
Mercury
[28] 		318 MEarth
Jupiter
[26] 		2500 km
Mercury
[29] 		69911 km
Jupiter
[28]
Dwarf planet ≈0.43 km/s
Orcus 		1.3 km/s
Eris 		0.0000916 MEarth
Orcus[20][NB 3] 		0.0028 MEarth
Eris 		487.3 km
Ceres 		1187 km
Pluto
Major moon of major or dwarf planet [NB 2] 0.16 km/s
Mimas 		2.74 km/s
Ganymede 		0.000006 MEarth
Mimas 		0.0250 MEarth
Ganymede
[30] 		198 km
Mimas 		2634 km
Ganymede
[22][30]
Extreme characteristic Major planet Dwarf planet Major moon
(of a major or dwarf planet) [NB 2]
Densest atmosphere Venus[NB 4]
[31][32] 		Pluto Titan[31]

By object

Astronomical body Elevation
(height above/below datum) 		Elevation
(height above/below base) 		Surface temperature
Highest Lowest Highest Lowest Highest Lowest
Sun N/A 5,000,000 K
In a solar flare

[33]

1240 K
In a sunspot

[34]

Mercury 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)
Caloris Montes, northwest Caloris Basin rim mountains

[35][36]

723 K
Dayside of Mercury

[37]

89 K
Permanently shaded polar craters

[38]

Venus 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)
Maxwell Montes, Ishtar Terra

[39][40][41][42]

3 kilometres (1.9 mi)
Diana Chasma, Aphrodite Terra

[42][43]

755 K
lowlands of Venus

[38]

644 K
Maxwell Montes, Ishtar Terra

[38]

Earth 8,848 metres (29,029 ft)
Mount Everest, Nepal - Tibet, China

[44]

10,971 metres (35,994 ft)
Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean

[45]

10,200 metres (33,500 ft)
Mauna Kea, Hawaii, United States of America

[44]

7 kilometres (4.3 mi)
Marianas Trench, Pacific Ocean

[46]

330 K
Furnace Creek Ranch,
Death Valley, United States
(more info) 		184 K
Vostok Station, Antarctica
(more info)
Mars 27 kilometres (17 mi)
Olympus Mons, Tharsis[44] 		6 kilometres (3.7 mi)
Hellas Planitia

[47]

24 kilometres (15 mi)
Olympus Mons, Tharsis[48] 		9 kilometres (5.6 mi)
Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris

[49]

293 K
Martian equator in midsummer day

[50]

120 K
Martian poles in the depths of winter night

[50]

Jupiter N/A 152 K

[51]

110 K

[51]

Saturn N/A 143 K

[52]

82 K

[52]

Uranus N/A 68 K

[53]

59 K

[53]

Neptune N/A 53 K
[54] 		50 K
[54]
Moon 10,786 metres (35,387 ft)
5.4125°, 201.3665°
[55][56] 		9.06 kilometres (5.63 mi)
Antoniadi Crater (-172.58°E, 70.38°S) 		400 K
midday on the equator
[57] 		26 K
Permanently shadowed southwestern edge of the northern polar zone Hermite Crater in winter solstice
[57]
Io 17.3 kilometres (10.7 mi)
Boosaule Montes
[58][59]
Europa 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
conical mountain (34.5N, 169.5W)
[60] 		132 K
Subsolar temperature
[61]
Ganymede 156 K
Subsolar temperature
[61] 		80 K
Nighttime temperature
[62]
Callisto 168 K
Subsolar temperature
[61] 		80 K
Predawn nighttime temperature
[63]
Titan 2 km (1.2 mi)
Mithrim Montes, Xanadu[64]
Mimas
Enceladus 110 K
Tiger Stripes
[65]
Tethys
Dione
Rhea
Iapetus 20 kilometres (12 mi)Voyager Mountains, equatorial ridge and bulge

[66][67][68]

Ariel
Umbriel
Titania
Oberon
Miranda 20 kilometers (12 mi)

Verona Rupes[5]

Triton
Nereid
Proteus
Charon
Ceres 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi)
Ahuna Mons

[69][70]

235 K

[71]

Pluto 3.4 km (2.1 mi)
Norgay Montes, Tombaugh Regio[72] 		45 K

[73]

35 K

[73]
Eris 41 K

[74]

30 K

[74]

Makemake
Haumea
The bodies included in this table are: (1) planemos; (2) major planets, dwarf planets, or moons of major or dwarf planets, or stars; (3) hydrostatically round so as to be able to provide a geodetic datum line.

By distance

  • List of Solar System objects most distant from the Sun

See also

  • Solar System
  • Lists of geological features of the Solar System
  • List of gravitationally rounded objects of the Solar System

Notes

  1. ↑ Though astronomers generally accept Orcus as a dwarf planet, some doubt remains
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 A major moon is a moon that is hydrostatically round.
  3. ↑ Mass calculated using Vanth's estimated mass
  4. ↑ As the transition from atmosphere to other is unclear for the giant planets, they are not included in this

References

  1. ↑ NASA, "Ius Chasma" (accessed 2010-11-15)
  2. ↑ Vega, P. (11 October 2011). "New View of Vesta Mountain From NASA's Dawn Mission". Jet Propulsion Lab's Dawn mission website. NASA. http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/feature_stories/new_view_vesta_mountain.asp. 
  3. ↑ Schenk, P.; Marchi, S.; O'Brien, D.P.; Buczkowski, D.; Jaumann, R.; Yingst, A.; McCord, T.; Gaskell, R. et al. (1 March 2012). "Mega-Impacts into Planetary Bodies: Global Effects of the Giant Rheasilvia Impact Basin on Vesta". 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The Woodlands, Texas: LPI. 2757. contribution 1659, id.2757. Bibcode: 2012LPI....43.2757S. 
  4. ↑ Universe Today, "The Largest Volcano in the Solar System", Fraser Cain, 16 July 2008 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Astronomy Picture of the Day, "2007 July 23", NASA, 23 July 2007 (accessed 2010-11-10)
  6. ↑ Chandler, David (June 25, 2008). "Solar System's biggest impact scar discovered". MIT News. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2008/solar-systems-biggest-impact-scar-discovered. 
  7. ↑ The Physics Factbook, "Density of the Sun", May Ko, 1999 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  8. ↑ Universe Today, "Density of the Sun", Fraser Cain, 24 September 2008 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  9. ↑ Universe Today, "Temperature of the Sun", Fraser Cain, 15 September 2008 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  10. ↑ The Physics Factbook, "Temperature on the Surface of the Sun", Glynise Finney, 1997 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, 07.03.03: "Voyage to the Planets" , Nicholas R. Perrone, 2007 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  12. ↑ Universe Today, "Density of the Planets", Abbey Cessna, 9 August 2009 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  13. ↑ The Physics Factbook, "Density of Saturn", Meredith Garmisa, 1997 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  14. ↑ Universe Today, "Density of the Earth", Fraser Cain, 10 March 2009 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  15. ↑ The Physics Factbook, "Density of the Earth", Katherine Malfucci, 2000 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  16. ↑ Universe Today, "What is the Coldest Planet of Our Solar System?", Fraser Cain, 28 May 2010 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  17. ↑ Universe Today, "Temperature of Neptune", Fraser Cain, 28 November 2008 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Journey Through the Galaxy, "Planets of the Solar System" , Stuart Robbins, David McDonald, 14 September 2006 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  19. ↑ Planet Facts, "Temperature on Venus – The Hottest Planet" (accessed 2010-11-06)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Brown, Michael E.; Butler, Bryan (July 2023). "Masses and densities of dwarf planet satellites measured with ALMA". The Planetary Science Journal in press: 11. 
  21. ↑ Holler, Bryan J.; Grundy, William M.; Buie, Marc W.; Noll, Keith S. (February 2021). "The Eris/Dysnomia system I: The orbit of Dysnomia". Icarus 355: 114130. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114130. 114130. Bibcode: 2021Icar..35514130H. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210012932/downloads/21-49.pdf. Retrieved April 28, 2022. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Cambridge University Press, "Planetary Sciences, Second Edition", Imke de Pater, Jack J. Lissauer, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-85371-2, pg.10
  23. ↑ Universe Today, "Density of the Moon", Fraser Cain, 3 November 2008 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  24. ↑ Praxis, "Distant Worlds", Peter Bond, 2007, Template:LoC catalog record, ISBN 0-387-40212-8, pg.247
  25. ↑ ABC News (USA), "Moon Base Camp Would Offer 'Practice'", Amanda Onion, 12 January 2004 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Cambridge University Press, "Planetary Sciences, Second Edition", Imke de Pater, Jack J. Lissauer, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-85371-2, pg.2
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Views of the Solar System, "Sun", Calvin J. Hamilton, 2009 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Cambridge University Press, "Planetary Sciences, Second Edition", Imke de Pater, Jack J. Lissauer, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-85371-2, pg.6
  29. ↑ Cambridge University Press, "Planetary Sciences, Second Edition", Imke de Pater, Jack J. Lissauer, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-85371-2, pg.4
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 the neighborhood, "g alilean moons of jupiter" , Raymond Harris, 2009 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Johns Hopkins University Press, "Alien Volcanoes", Michael Carroll, Rosaly Lopes, Fall 2007 (accessed 2010-11-20)
  32. ↑ University of Massachusetts; Department of Astronomy, "The Terrestrial Planets - Quiz 8", T. Arny (accessed 2010-11-21)
  33. ↑ Goddard Space Flight Center, "What is a Solar Flare?", Gordon Holman, Sarah Benedict, 2007 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  34. ↑ Serbian Astronomical Journal, "On the Effective Temperature of Sunspot Umbrae using Beryllium Hydride Isotopomer Lines", Sangeetha, R.; Sriramachandran, P.; Bagare, S. P.; Rajamanickam, N.; Shanmugavel, R., vol. 179, pp. 95-99, December 2009, doi:10.2298/SAJ0979095S, Bibcode: 2009SerAJ.179...95S
  35. ↑ Icarus, "The morphology of Mercury's Caloris basin as seen in MESSENGER stereo topographic models", Oberst, Jürgen; Preusker, Frank; Phillips, Roger J.; et al., Volume 209, Issue 1, p. 230-238, September 2010, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.03.009, Bibcode: 2010Icar..209..230O
  36. ↑ Lerner Publications, "Mercury", Gregory Vogt, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7613-5705-6, pp.31
  37. ↑ World Book at NASA, "Mercury" , Maria T. Zuber, 2004, World Book Online Reference Center (accessed 2010-11-11)
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Mohawk Valley Astronomical Society, "Planetary Personalities, Part 1 of 3: The Inner Planets", Perry Pezzolanella, February 2008 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  39. ↑ Astronomy Magazine, "Astronomy for Kids: Venus" (accessed 2010-11-06)
  40. ↑ NRAO, "Venusian Mountain Maxwell Montes" (accessed 2010-11-06)
  41. ↑ NOAA, "Venus Topography and Shaded Relief" (accessed 2010-11-06)
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 National Academy Press, "Physics Through the 1990s: Scientific Interfaces and Technological Applications", National Research Council, 1986, pp.100, ISBN 0-309-03580-5
  43. ↑ Internet Encyclopedia of Science, "Venus", David Darling (accessed 2010-11-06)
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 Universe Today, "Tallest Mountain", Abbey Cessna, 30 November 2009 (accessed 2010-11-05)
  45. ↑ Universe Today, "Deepest Point On Earth" , John Carl Villanueva, 3 September 2009 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  46. ↑ Earlham College, Geosciences 211: Physical Geology (2003), "Marianas Trench", Ruairi K. Rhodes, 2003 (accessed 2010-11-06)
  47. ↑ The Physics Factbook, "Altitude of the Lowest Point on Mars", Allison Chin, 2003 (accessed 2010-11-05)
  48. ↑ Hawaiian Encyclopedia, "The Hawaiian-Emperor Chain", Daniel Harrington, Mutual Publishing (accessed 2010-11-06)
  49. ↑ Universe Today, "Melas Chasma: The Deepest Abyss on Mars", Nancy Atkinson, 8 October 2010 (accessed 2010-11-05)
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 NASA Quest, "Mars Facts" (accessed 2010-11-11)
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 Kid's Cosmos, "Explore Jupiter" , 2009 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Kid's Cosmos, "Explore Saturn" , 2009 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 Kid's Cosmos, "Explore Uranus" , 2009 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Kid's Cosmos, "Explore Neptune" , 2009 (accessed 2010-11-15)
  55. ↑ The Register, "Highest point on the Moon found: Higher than Mount Everest", Lewis Page, 29 October 2010 (accessed 2010-11-05)
  56. ↑ Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, "Highest Point on the Moon!" , Mark Robinson, 26 October 2010 (accessed 2010-11-05)
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 BBC News, "'Coldest place' found on the Moon", Jonathan Amos, 16 December 2009 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  58. ↑ Springer-Praxis, "Io After Galileo", Rosaly M. C. Lopes, John Robert Spencer, 2007, ISBN 9783540346814, pp.110
  59. ↑ Cambridge University Press, 'Planetary Tectonics', "Tectonics of the outer planet satellites", Paul M. Schenk et al., 2009, `ed. Thomas R. Watters, Richard A. Schultz`, ISBN 0521765730, pp.289
  60. ↑ Icarus, "Europa: Initial Galileo Geological Observations", Greeley, Ronald; Sullivan, Robert; Klemaszewski, James;, Volume 135, pp. 4-24, September 1998, doi:10.1006/icar.1998.5969, Bibcode: 1998Icar..135....4G
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 Astrophysical Journal, "Callisto: New Insights from Galileo Disk-resolved UV Measurements", Hendrix, Amanda R.; Johnson, Robert E., Volume 687, Issue 1, pp. 706-713, November 2008, doi:10.1086/591491, Bibcode: 2008ApJ...687..706H
  62. ↑ OuterSpaceSite.com, "Jupiter's Moon Ganymede" (accessed 2010-11-22)
  63. ↑ "17 Callisto" , Jeffrey M. Moore et al. (accessed 2010-11-25)
  64. ↑ Mitri, G.; Bland, M. T.; Showman, A. P.; Radebaugh, J.; Stiles, B.; Lopes, R. M. C.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Pappalardo, R. T. (2010). "Mountains on Titan: Modeling and observations". Journal of Geophysical Research 115 (E10002): E10002. doi:10.1029/2010JE003592. Bibcode: 2010JGRE..11510002M. 
  65. ↑ Views of the Solar System, "Saturn II - Enceladus", Calvin J. Hamilton, 2009 (accessed 2010-11-28)
  66. ↑ Solar System Exploration, "The Mountains of Saturn's Mysterious Moon Iapetus" , NASA, 16 October 2008 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  67. ↑ JPL, Cassini Solstice Mission, "Iapetus" , NASA (accessed 2010-11-11)
  68. ↑ itWire, "Ridge on Saturn moon Iapetus was hard nut to crack", William Atkins, 23 July 2007 (accessed 2010-11-11)
  69. ↑ Robert Burnham (1 September 2016). "Ceres: The tiny world where volcanoes erupt ice". Arizona State University. https://asunow.asu.edu/20160901-ceres-asu-tiny-world-where-volcanoes-erupt-ice. 
  70. ↑ O. Ruesch (March 2016). "Ahuna Mons: A Geologically-Young Extrusive Dome on Ceres". Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (47): 2279. 2279. Bibcode: 2016LPI....47.2279R. http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/2279.pdf. 
  71. ↑ Views of the Solar System, "Dwarf Planet Ceres", Calvin J. Hamilton, 2009 (accessed 2010-11-27)
  72. ↑ Talbert, Tricia (July 15, 2015). "The Icy Mountains of Pluto". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-icy-mountains-of-pluto/. 
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 Enchanted Learning Software, "Pluto", 2010 (accessed 2010-11-27)
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Memphis Archaeological and Geological Society, "Eris: dwarf planet larger than Pluto", Mike Baldwin, 11 November 2006 (accessed 2010-11-27)

See also



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