What We Know About the Red Planet
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Seasons Mountains Rocks SandDunes Rift Valley
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Lunar Movies Life Search Wanted Exploring Mars

What we know about Mars:

Statistics Reveal the Red Planet

  • The gravity of Mars is only 38 percent as strong as the gravity of Earth.

  • The atmosphere of Mars is composed mainly of:
    • carbon dioxide – 95.3 percent
    • nitrogen – 2.7 percent
    • argon – 1.6 percent
  • The highest point on Mars is Olympus Mons, a volcano more than 16 miles tall. Astronomers say it is the tallest mountain in the Solar System.

  • It takes Mars about 687 Earth days – almost two Earth years – to revolve around the Sun.

  • The three ages in the geologic history of Mars were the:
    • Noachian Era – 3.8 to 3.5 billion years ago
    • Hesperian Era – 3.5 to 1.8 billion years ago
    • Amazonian Era – 1.8 billion years ago to the present
  • Distance from Sun average 141.6 million miles (227.9 million kilometers)
    Year length 687 days
    Day length 24 hours 37 minutes 23 seconds
    Inclination of axis 23 degrees 59 minutes
    Diameter at equator 4,210 miles (6,787 kilometers)
    Mass 0.107 of Earth
    Specific density 3.9 when water=1
    Atmosphere 95% carbon dioxide, 2% argon, 3% nitrogen
    Surface temperature average -19° F, -23° C
    Natural satellites Phobos and Deimos



    Learn more:
    Human Exploration of Mars:
    There have been three stages of exploration so far
    Sand dunes: Dust Storms: Air: Carbon Dioxide: Outflow Channels: Valley Networks: Rift Valley: Ice: Ice caps: Frost: Water: Artesian Water: Mars Weather: Mars Photo Galleries: Planet features: Canals: Rocks: Mountains: Dating and aging: Seasons:
    SPACE TODAY ONLINE:
    Exploring Mars
    Mars Probes
    Probes of the Past
    Probes of the Future
    Mars Water
    Mars Canals
    Mars Air
    Mars Rocks
    Mars Seasons
    Mars Mountains
    Mars Rift Valley
    Mars Moons
    Mars Life Search
    Mars Dust Storms
    Mars Stats
    Mars Nearby
    Mars history
    Mars Resources
    Mars Orbiter 2005
    Mars Scout 2007
    NASA MARS HISTORY:
    Rover Spirit 2003
    Rover Opportunity 2003
    Express 2003
    Odyssey 2001
    Polar Lander 1999
    Climate Orbiter 1998
    Deep Space 2 1999
    Global Surveyor 1996
    Pathfinder Lander 1996
    Rover Sojourner 1996
    Pathfinder Mission 1996
    Viking-1 Lander 1975
    Viking-2 Orbiter 1975
    Viking-1 Lander 1975
    Viking-1 Orbiter 1975
    Mariner 9 Orbiter 1971
    Mars 3 Lander 1971
    Mariner 4 Flyby 1964
    Viking Mission 1975
    Mars Meteorites - JPL
    EXPLORATIONS PLANNED:
    2003 & Beyond - Goddard
    2005 & Beyond - JPL
    Mars Exploration - JPL
    Plans to Explore Planets


    SOLAR SYSTEM:
    Solar System - JPL
    Welcome to the Planets - JPL
    Planetary Photojournal - JPL
    Mars - Athena - NASA Ames
    Solar System Tour - BBC
    Mars - New York Times
    Windows...Universe - UMich
    Mars - Apollo Society
    Planetary Society
    Mars Society
    The Nine Planets
    Planet Mars Company
    Solar System - STO
    Solar System Tour
    Artist conception of Mars with water four billion years ago
    NASA CONCEPTION OF MARS WITH
    WATER FOUR BILLIONS YEAR AGO
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