Ovda Regio (possible Natural Colors; credits: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)

This Magellan image shows part of the interior of Ovda Regio, one of the large Highlands ringing the Equator of Venus.
Several tectonic events formed this complex block fractured terrain. An underlying fabric of Ridges and Valleys strikes N/E - S/W. These Ridges are spaced approx. 10 to 20 Km (such as about 6 to 12 miles) apart and may have been caused by shortening of the crust at right angles to this trend.
These structures are cut by thoroughgoing extension fractures trending N/W - S/E, suggesting a later episode of N/E - S/W extension. Lastly, the largest Valleys, particularly the about 20 Km (approx. 12 mile) wide one extending across the image, were filled with dark material, probably Lava.
The complex internal fabric of Ovda Regio attests to a long history of tectonic deformation.

This image, centered approx. at 1° South Lat. and 81° East Long., measures approx. 225 Km (about 140 miles) by approx. 150 (about 90 miles) and was acquired by Magellan in November 1990.