Exploring the Red Planet:

10 Amazing Facts of

Mars

20th January, 2024

SOUMI MITRA

You might think you know all about the fourth planet from the sun.

Here are some CRAZY facts about our beloved Red Planet.

But do you? 

Mars Has Seasons

Just like our home planet, Mars experiences a tilt in its axis, which causes it to experience Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. The seasons are roughly twice as long as the ones we have on Earth.

1

Mars has Weaker Gravity than Earth

Mars has a diameter that is almost 2,000 miles smaller than Earth’s. The weaker gravity would mean that we would have considerably less stress on our muscles and skeletal structures.

2

Mars has Thin Atmosphere

Mars has a thin atmosphere made from 95.9% carbon dioxide and 2.7% nitrogen. The atmosphere is so thin that it’s not thick enough to trap the sun’s heat so it is very cold - ranging from -100℃ in winter to 20℃  in summer.

3

Mars is TINY

Mars is pretty small. It is less dense, less massive, and just plain smaller than our own Earth. It would take about 6 Mars to fill up the volume of Earth!

4

Year on Mars is Quite Long 

Mars has a year that lasts 687 days, which is almost twice as long as ours. Orbit you hadn’t heard that one before.

5

Mars has Intense Dust Storms!

Mars has dust storms fueled by sunshine! Yes, the solar wind blows the red dust from the dry, arid Martian surface around and around.

6

Mars is the only Planet in the Universe Completely Inhabited by Robots

Four rovers make up the known population of Mars. Sojourner, Opportunity, Spirit, and Curiosity were all sent to explore and take samples and pictures of Martian soil, air, and possible life.

7

MARS HAS EVIDENCE OF WATER!

The discovery of liquid water flowing on Mars, particularly on some steep and relatively warm slopes, marks a significant advancement in our understanding of the Martian environment and its potential to support life, either past or present.

8

Largest Canyon In Solar System

Mars has the largest canyon in our solar system, Valles Marineris. It is 4 miles deep and stretches thousands of miles long.

9

The Towering Mount Olympus

Mars is home to Olympus Mons, a dormant volcano and the largest volcano and highest mountain in our solar system. It is 16 miles high and 600 km across the base, making it 3x the height of Mount Everest

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