The discovery of a giant volcano on Mars was reported during the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, according to the SETI Institute. The study used data from NASA’s Mariner 9, Viking Orbiter 1 and 2, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey & Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter missions. It is located in the eastern part of the Tharsis volcanic province, which sits near the planet’s equator. The volcano sits close to three other well-known volcanoes: Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons and Arsia Mons. While the new crater is not as tall as its counterparts (29,600 feet), it rivals the others in diameter at 280 miles. "We were examining the geology of an area where we had found remains of a glacier last year when we realized we were inside a huge and deeply eroded volcano. It’s an ancient volcano so deeply eroded that you could hike, drive, or fly through it to examine its interior to study Mars’ evolution," said Pascal Lee, a Planetary Scientist at SETI. The SETI said in a statement that the “discovery points to an exciting new place to search for life & a potential new destination for future exploration."