Which mountain rises near the center of Gale crater on Mars?

Which mountain rises near the center of Gale crater on Mars? Aeolis Mons. It is also widely known by its informal name, Mount Sharp.

Aeolis Mons rises about 5.5 kilometers above Gale crater’s floor. The mountain’s layered foothills are the main scientific destination of NASA’s Curiosity rover, which landed in Gale in August 2012. Curiosity is studying the layers for evidence of ancient environments, including periods when liquid water may have existed.

Gale crater is about 154 kilometers wide and formed roughly 3.5–3.8 billion years ago. Scientists think the central mound may preserve sediments deposited in an ancient lake or other water-influenced environments, later shaped by erosion. Its position can cause confusion: Aeolis Palus is the plain between Gale’s northern rim and the mountain, not the mountain itself.

The name Mount Sharp honors geologist Robert P. Sharp, while Aeolis Mons follows the formal planetary naming system. The other choices are real Martian mountains or volcanic features, but they are not the central mountain in Gale.