List of tallest mountains in the Solar System

 This is a list of the tallest mountains in the Solar System. The tallest peak or peaks on worlds where significant mountains have been measured are given. For some worlds, the tallest peaks of different classes are also listed. At 21.9 km (13.6 mi), the enormous shield volcano Olympus Mons on Mars is the tallest mountain on any planet in the Solar System. For 40 years, following its discovery in 1971, it was the tallest mountain known in the Solar System. However, in 2011, the central peak of the crater Rheasilvia on the asteroid and protoplanet Vesta was found to be of comparable height.[n 1] Due to limitations in the data and the definition problem described below, it is difficult to determine which of the two is taller.

Olympus Mons on Mars, the tallest planetary mountain in the Solar System, compared to Mount Everest and Mauna Kea on Earth (heights shown are above datum or sea level, which differ from the base-to-peak heights given below)

ListEdit

Heights are given from base to peak (although a precise definition for mean base level is lacking). Peak elevations above sea level are only available on Earth, and possibly Titan.[1] On other worlds, peak elevations above an equipotential surface or a reference ellipsoid could be used if enough data is available for the calculation, but this is often not the case.

WorldTallest peak(s)Base-to-peak height% of radius[n 2]OriginNotes
MercuryCaloris Montes≤ 3 km (1.9 mi)[2][3]0.12impact[4]Formed by the Caloris impact
VenusSkadi Mons (Maxwell Montes massif)6.4 km (4.0 mi)[5] (11 km above mean)0.11tectonic[6]Has radar-bright slopes due to metallic Venus snow, possibly lead sulfide[7]
Maat Mons4.9 km (3.0 mi) (approx.)[8]0.081volcanic[9]Highest volcano on Venus
Earth[n 3]Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa10.2 km (6.3 mi)[11]0.16volcanic4.2 km (2.6 mi) of this is above sea level
Haleakala9.1 km (5.7 mi)[12]0.14volcanicRises 3.1 km above sea level[12]
Pico del Teide7.5 km (4.7 mi)[13]0.12volcanicRises 3.7 km above sea level[13]
Denali5.3 to 5.9 km (3.3 to 3.7 mi)[14]0.093tectonicTallest mountain base-to-peak on land[15][n 4]
Mount Everest3.6 to 4.6 km (2.2 to 2.9 mi)[16]0.072tectonic4.6 km on north face, 3.6 km on south face;[n 5] highest elevation (8.8 km) above sea level (but not among the tallest from base to peak)
Moon[n 6]Mons Huygens5.5 km (3.4 mi)[19][20]0.32impactFormed by the Imbrium impact
Mons Hadley4.5 km (2.8 mi)[19][20]0.26impactFormed by the Imbrium impact
Mons Rümker1.3 km (0.81 mi)[21]0.063volcanicLargest volcanic construct on the Moon[21]
MarsOlympus Mons21.9 km (14 mi)[n 7][22][23]0.65volcanicRises 26 km above northern plains,[24] 1000 km away. Summit calderas are 60 x 80 km wide, up to 3.2 km deep;[23] scarp around margin is up to 8 km high.[25] A shield volcano, the mean flank slope is a modest 5.2 degrees.[22]
Ascraeus Mons14.9 km (9.3 mi)[22]0.44volcanicTallest of the three Tharsis Montes
Elysium Mons12.6 km (7.8 mi)[22]0.37volcanicHighest volcano in Elysium
Arsia Mons11.7 km (7.3 mi)[22]0.35volcanicSummit caldera is 108 to 138 km (67 to 86 mi) across[22]
Pavonis Mons8.4 km (5.2 mi)[22]0.25volcanicSummit caldera is 4.8 km (3.0 mi) deep[22]
Anseris Mons6.2 km (3.9 mi)[26]0.18impactAmong the highest nonvolcanic peaks on Mars, formed by the Hellas impact
Aeolis Mons ("Mount Sharp")4.5 to 5.5 km (2.8 to 3.4 mi)[27][n 8]0.16deposition and erosion[n 9]Formed from deposits in Gale crater;[32] the MSL rover has been ascending it since November 2014.[33]
VestaRheasilvia central peak22.5 km (14 mi)[n 10][34][35]8.4impactAlmost 200 km (120 mi) wide. See also: List of largest craters in the Solar System
CeresAhuna Mons4 km (2.5 mi)[36]0.85cryovolcanic[37]Isolated steep-sided dome in relatively smooth area; max. height of ~ 5 km on steepest side; roughly antipodal to largest impact basin on Ceres
IoBoösaule Montes "South"[38]17.5 to 18.2 km (10.9 to 11.3 mi)[39]1.0tectonicHas a 15 km (9 mi) high scarp on its SE margin[40]
Ionian Mons east ridge12.7 km (7.9 mi) (approx.)[40][41]0.70tectonicHas the form of a curved double ridge
Euboea Montes10.5 to 13.4 km (6.5 to 8.3 mi)[42]0.74tectonicA NW flank landslide left a 25,000 km3 debris apron[43][n 11]
unnamed (245° W, 30° S)2.5 km (1.6 mi) (approx.)[44][45]0.14volcanicOne of the tallest of Io's many volcanoes, with an atypical conical form[45][n 12]
MimasHerschel central peak7 km (4 mi) (approx.)[47]3.5impactSee also: List of largest craters in the Solar System
DioneJaniculum Dorsa1.5 km (0.9 mi)[48]0.27tectonic[n 13]Surrounding crust depressed ca. 0.3 km.
TitanMithrim Montes≤ 3.3 km (2.1 mi)[51]0.13tectonic[51]May have formed due to global contraction[52]
Doom Mons1.45 km (0.90 mi)[53]0.056cryovolcanic[53]Adjacent to Sotra Patera, a 1.7 km (1.1 mi) deep collapse feature[53]
Iapetusequatorial ridge20 km (12 mi) (approx.)[54]2.7uncertain[n 14]Individual peaks have not been measured
Oberonunnamed ("limb mountain")11 km (7 mi) (approx.)[47]1.4impact (?)A value of 6 km was given shortly after the Voyager 2 encounter[58]
PlutoTenzing Montes, peak "T2"~6.2 km (3.9 mi)[59]0.52tectonic[60] (?)Composed of water ice;[60] named after Tenzing Norgay[61]
Piccard Mons[n 15][62][63]~5.5 km (3.4 mi)[59]0.46cryovolcanic (?)~220 km across;[64] central depression is 11 km deep[59]
Wright Mons[n 15][62][63]~4.7 km (2.9 mi)[59]0.40cryovolcanic (?)~160 km across;[62] summit depression ~56 km across[65] and 4.5 km deep[59]
CharonButler Mons[66]≥ 4.5 km (2.8 mi)[66]0.74tectonic (?)Vulcan Planitia, the southern plains, has several isolated peaks, possibly tilted crustal blocks[66]
Dorothy central peak[66]~4.0 km (2.5 mi)[66]0.66impactNorth polar impact basin Dorothy, Charon's largest, is ∼240 km across and 6 km deep[66]

Tallest Mountains by elevationEdit

  • Olympus Mons 72,000 ft (22,000 m)
  • Equatorial Ridge 65,617 ft (20,000 m)
  • Boösaule Mons 59,711 ft (18,200 m)
  • Ascraeus Mons 49,000 ft (15,000 m)
  • Ionian Mons 41,667 ft (12,700 m)
  • Elysium Mons 41,338 ft (12,600 m)
  • Arsia Mons 38,386 ft (11,700 m)
  • Limb Mountain 36,089 ft (11,000 m)
  • Skadi Mons 35,105 ft (10,700 m)
  • Euboea Montes 34,449 ft (10,500 m)
  • Mauna Kea 33,464 ft (10,200 m)
  • Haleakala 29,856 ft (9,100 m)
  • Mount Everest 29,029 ft (8,848 m)
  • Pavonis Mons 28,543 ft (8,700 m)
  • Teide 24,606 ft (7,500 m)
  • Herschel Peak 22,966 ft (7,000 m)
  • Anseris Mons 20,341 ft (6,200 m)
  • Tenzing Montes 20,341 ft (6,200 m)
  • Denali 20,310 ft (6,190 m)
  • Mount Kilimanjaro 19,341 ft (5,895 m)
  • Mons Huygens 18,045 ft (5,500 m)
  • Aeolis Mons 18,045 ft (5,500 m)
  • Piccard Mons 18,045 ft (5,500 m)
  • Maat Mons 16,076 ft (4,900 m)
  • Wright Mons 15,420 ft (4,700 m)
  • Mons Hadley 14,764 ft (4,500 m)
  • Butler Mons 14,764 ft (4,500 m)
  • Ahuna Mons 13,500 ft (4,100 m)
  • Dorothy Peak 13,123 ft (4,000 m)
  • Mithrim Montes 10,948 ft (3,337 m)
  • Caloris Montes 9,843 ft (3,000 m)
  • Io (unnamed peak) 8,202 ft (2,500 m)
  • Janiculum Dorsa 4,921 ft (1,500 m)
  • Doom Mons 4,757 ft (1,450 m)
  • Mons Rümker 4,265 ft (1,300 m)

GalleryEdit

The following images are shown in order of decreasing base-to-peak height.

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 Metasyntactic variable, which is released under the 
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