What is the official name of Mount Sharp, Curiosity's main mountain target?

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Mount Sharp’s official name is Aeolis Mons. It is the central mountain of Gale crater and the principal long-term scientific target for NASA’s Curiosity rover.

NASA began using “Mount Sharp” informally in 2012, honoring American geologist Robert P. Sharp. The International Astronomical Union later approved the official name Aeolis Mons in May 2012. Under planetary-naming conventions, Martian mountains are named for classical albedo features; Aeolis Mons takes its name from the Aeolis feature on Mars.

The mountain rises roughly 5.5 kilometers above the floor of Gale crater and consists of layered rocks exposed by erosion. Curiosity landed in Aeolis Palus, the plain beside the mountain, on August 6, 2012. Olympus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Elysium Mons are genuine Martian mountains, but they are separate features and not alternate names for Curiosity’s target.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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