Basic Information
Mars, the Red Planet is the fourth closest planet to the Sun in our solar system, lying between Earth and Jupiter. It is 34 million miles from Earth. The orbits of the two planets means that the best opportunity for a short trip to Mars from Earth happens once every two years. Even then, with our current technology, it takes about 7 months to cross the gap.
Mars is a Terrestrial Planet with an Iron core. In fact, Iron is one of the most common elements found on Mars. Rusting iron colors the rocks, the dust, even the atmosphere, and gives Mars the nickname "The Red Planet".
Climate, Weather, and Water
Ice has been found on Mars at poles, and also just beneath the surface. The polar caps are made of Dry Ice. Water ice exists in the Martian Permafrost, and thus probably in Aquifers. Images from one of the craters now show what appears to have been some water flow within recent years - but that that flow quickly evaporated. Mars has a very thin atmosphere, and is extremely cold. The combination of no pressure and cold temperature means that liquid water can only exist for brief moments of time and only in certain situations. Typically, the ice turns straight to gas without ever becoming a liquid, via a process called Sublimation (chemistry). In order for liquid water to exist for more than a few moments on Mars' surface, it would need a thicker atmosphere. However, because Mars has a very minimal magnetic field, it's atmosphere is regularly blasted away by Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun. This makes Terraforming Mars a complicated proposition.
The temperature of Mars can get as low as -100oF at night. The clouds are mostly composed of Carbon Dioxide. Windstorms are frequent, including Dust Devils that race across the surface.
Notable Regions, Features, and Satellites:
Mars is much smaller than earth, but has geological features that dwarf those on Earth.
- Olympus Mons is a 15-mile-high mountain that's as big around as Missouri
- Valles Marineris is a canyon as long as the entire United States
- Cydonia (Region of Mars) has the Pyramids of Mars and Face on Mars
- Galle (Martian crater) is shaped like a smiley face
- Martian Canals are actually an optical illusion, but in the 19th Century everyone thought they were real.
- Phobos (moon) is the larger and innermost of Mars' two moons
- Deimos (moon) is the smaller of Mars' moons. Both are irregularly shaped
- 5261 Eureka - an asteroid that trails Mars in it's L5 Point.
Man-Made Objects on Mars
| Objects | Origin | Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Mars 2 and Mars 3 | USSR | 1971 |
| Mars 6 | USSR | 1973 |
| Viking 1 & Viking 2 landers | United States | 1976 |
| Mars Pathfinder lander & Sojourner (rover) | United States | 1997 |
| Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander & Deep Space 2 | United States | 1999 |
| Beagle 2 (mission lost, landing status unknown) | UK / ESA | 2003 |
| Spirit rover (MER-A) and Opportunity rover (MER-B) | United States | 2004 |
| Phoenix (spacecraft) | United States | 2008 |
See Also:
- Allan Hills 84001
- Colonization of Mars
- Life On Mars and Martians
- Mars-like Planet
- Terraforming of Mars
- News: Precious Gems Discovered On Mars
- News/Event: Rumors Abound About Potential For Life On Mars
- News/Article: Avalanche Season on Mars
Sources
Game and Story Use
- Given the Face On Mars (and other features in the Cydonia region), and the presence of ice/water (that was detected and acknowledge by the ESA several years before NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander found it), it's a natural for any game with conspiracy theories.
- It's also the likely site of our likely first colony on another planet.
