Mars is undoubtedly one of the most interesting planets in the solar system.
This red planet is filled with mysteries and huge canyons around 3000 miles across and 6000 miles deep. Also, on Mars, there are volcanoes around 75000 feet tall and other fascinating sceneries in our solar system.
Mars was once ruled by water but then disappeared into thin air; however, among all planets in the solar system,
Scientists believe Mars is the planet most likely to have life. So, here are some interesting Mars facts.
Interesting Mars Facts:-
Mars Has the Largest Volcanic Mountain in The Solar System
Mars is the planet with the largest volcanic mountain in our solar system. A shield volcano known as Olympus Mons is three times the height of Mount Everest.
This gigantic volcanic mountain features an approximate diameter of 600 kilometers and an approximate height of 22 kilometers.
This volcanic mountain on Mars is believed to occupy the same area as mainland France, and as a shield volcano, it grew a lot bigger due to the lava flow during eruptions.
Mars Is the Seventh-Largest Planet
Mars is the seventh largest planet and the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the “Red Planet” due to the widespread amount of iron oxide on its surface, which offers a unique characteristic, such as a red color. This component of iron oxide is commonly known as rust.
Also, Mars’s average surface temperature is minus 63 degrees Celsius or minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, Mars’s average temperature is about 77 degrees Celsius, chillier than the average surface temperature of our Earth.
Who Discovered Mars Is Still Not Known
The truth about who discovered Mars is still unknown. The red planet Mars was named after the Roman god of War because its reddish appearance reminded people of blood.
However, in 1659, a renowned Dutch mathematician and scientist, Christian Huygens, discovered a strange feature on Mars’s surface. Later, it was referred to as Syrtis Major, an ancient volcanic location on Mars.
The Surface Area of Mars Is About the Same as Earth’s Land Area
The surface area of planet Mars is about 55,742,105 square miles, which is very close to Earth’s surface area of 57,308,757 square miles.
Moreover, one year on Mars, known as Martian Year, equals Earth’s 687 days. In contrast, a day on Mars lasts about 40 minutes more than a single day on Earth.
Mars’ Atmosphere Is Much Thinner than Earth’s
The atmosphere of planet Mars is about 61 times thinner than the atmosphere of Earth. Mars’ atmosphere is formed mainly of carbon dioxide, while on Earth, carbon dioxide accounts for only 0.04% of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Although Mars is considered a potential second to Earth, humans cannot breathe in its atmosphere. Mars’s atmosphere has 96% carbon dioxide and only about 0.2% oxygen.
Mars Once Had Many Oceans
Once, Mars was dominated by oceans until they disappeared suddenly. Now, all the water on this planet would make up just about 1.5% of all water present on our Earth.
However, in 2014, a NASA-deployed car-sized robotic rover (Curiosity Rover) explored the Gale Crater, which had significant methane burps. Many scientists speculate that this means that life existed on the red planet.
It Isn’t Easy to Get to Mars
It is undoubtedly very difficult to reach the red planet Mars. Almost one-third of all missions to Mars have failed until today.
The 1960s and 1970s viewed numerous missions to this fascinating red planet. The new millennium, however, has witnessed several launches. The exact number will be 10.
Like planet Earth, Astronauts discovered ice caps at the poles of the planet Mars. The northern cap of this planet is around 3.2 kilometers or 2 miles deep and is believed to cover an area that is similar to Texas.
Mars Experiences Some of The Fiercest Dust Storms
Dust storms experienced on this planet are some of the fiercest and largest in the entire solar system. A single dust storm on this planet can cover the whole planet and even last for several months.
Another interesting fact about this planet is that the path orbited by this planet is oval-shaped and elliptical around the Sun. Also, it is a lot longer than any other planet in the solar system.
Mars’ Southern Hemisphere Is Tilted
The southern hemisphere of this red planet, Mars, tilts towards the Sun at its closest point to the Sun. This produces an extremely hot and short summer, while the northern hemisphere of this red planet experiences a cold, short winter.
In contrast, Mars’s northern hemisphere tilts toward the Sun at its furthest point from the Sun. This results in a mild and relatively long summer, while the southern hemisphere faces a cold winter.
Planet Mars Is Relatively Smaller than Earth
Planet Mars is actually smaller than planet Earth. This means it would need more than six Mars to fit into planet Earth. Also, on Mars, the Sun appears the same size as on Earth.
Galileo Galilei first discovered this interesting red planet through a telescope. However, within a century, scientists could pinpoint its ice caps.
Mars Will Eventually Have a Ring
According to many scientists, the planet Mars will have a ring someday. They think that in the coming 20 to 40 million years, the biggest moon of Mars, Phobos, will be shredded apart by strong gravitational forces, resulting in the formation of a ring that can last 100 million years.
Traces of liquid water were also found on this red planet. Over the past centuries, Mars has been believed to contain water in the form of ice. Several satellite images showed stripes or stains as the first signs of trickling water.
The Month of March Is Named After Mars
March is the third month of Earth’s year and is named after Mars, an interesting red planet that experiences all four seasons on Earth.
Mars Doesn’t Have an Ozone Layer
This red planet of our solar system lacks an Ozone layer like Earth; hence, it has a potent dose of radiation when the Sun rises. Also, 20% of water freezes on the Red Planet during winter.
Mars also lacks a magnetic field, which means this planet doesn’t have a molten core, unlike Earth. Moreover, if a person were to drive from Earth to Mars at a speed of 60 mph, it would take him 271 years and 221 days.
Mars’ Gravity Is Lower than Earth’s
Mars has 62% lower gravity than Earth. If a human weighs 100 pounds on Earth, it would weigh 38 pounds on Mars.
Also, if one can jump onto the red planet, he would have received three times the height they can achieve on Earth.
The First Spacecraft to Visit Mars Was Mariner 4
The first spacecraft to explore Mars was Mars 1, sent by the Soviet Union in 1962. However, mission controllers lost contact with it en route to Mars.
America sent Mariner 4, the first spacecraft to reach this red planet. It returned to Earth with some close-up images of Mars.
This American spacecraft sent blurry images of bare craters and ground, leading some scientists to believe that Mars has characteristics similar to those of the Moon.
Mars Has a Wide Variety of Rocks
While exploring this red planet, scientists discovered various types of rocks, some of which were named Stimpy, Shark, Moe, Yogi, Bamacle, and Cabbage Patch.
They thought about these names because they were easy to remember. Also, seven robots are still wandering the surface of this red planet.
Mars Has Two Moons, Phobos and Deimos
Mars has two moons, Deimos and Phobos, both of which have irregular shapes. Phobos is projected to crash into Mars as it moves closer to its atmosphere.
However, this phenomenon is anticipated to occur in the next 10 to 50 million years. Mars’ moons were discovered in 1877 by an American astronomer named Asaph Hall.
Mars Has Some of The Deepest Canyons in The Solar System
Planet Mars has some of the deepest canyons among our solar system’s planets. The deepest of them is the Valles Marineris, which is 2485 miles or 4000 kilometers long.
Some regions go as deep as 4.3 miles or 7 kilometers. This has led scientists to believe that Mars used to have rivers.
Mars Is Known by Different Names in Various Cultures
Mars has different names in different cultures. The Chinese called it “the fire star.” The ancient Greeks named it after their god of war, Ares.
Also, the Egyptians named it “the red one” because of its bright red color, while the Romans called it “Mars.”
The Mars Global Surveyor Was a Mission to Map the Planet
The first successful Mars mission in two decades was the Mars Global Surveyor, which was launched on November 7, 1996. It took thousands of pictures of this red planet. Also, currently, there are 12 man-made objects on Mars.
Hence, Mars is a fascinating planet with several unique features and a rich history of cultural significance and exploration.
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