This image shows a complex of parallel geological faults called the Devana Chasma, which lies on Venus's equator. The region is about 180 kilometers across, and the individual faults are about 5 kilometers apart. The complex may be the result of tectonic stretching, a process similar to the movements of the Earth's crust that produced rift valleys. However, Venus's thick crust and lack of water prevent plate tectonics from operating as they do on Earth. The Magellan radar mapper made 30 orbits to complete this false-colour mosaic image.