This image, taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft shows a region of Mars' Valles Marineris canyon system called Coprates Catena and Coprates Chasma - roughly at the centre of the gigantic gash. This photograph is a perspective view, calculated by the terrain imaged by Mars Express. Scientists are sure what caused the Valles Marineris, but some believe that the formation of the Tharsis uplift and volcanoes, west of the canyon caused this area to fracture.