Mars is one of the most known planets of our solar system. It is also name of the roman god of war. Mars still enjoys the same status that is, war and power in the modern day zodiac. Even in dreams, seeing mars means the power and fight. It is also called red planet due to the red color it has. The name of the third month march is derived from mars. There are some other informative and interesting facts about mars given below.
1. Forth planet
Mars is the forth planet that orbits the sun in our solar system. Its distance from sun is 141 million miles and it takes 1.8807 earth years to complete its circle around sun.
2. 7th in size
Despite of its placement at the forth orbit around earth, mars is the 7th largest planet of our solar system means it’s smaller than the other 6 planets. Its diameter is half of that of earth and its mass is one tenth of earth. The gravity of mars is one third of that of earth. The density of mars is about 30% less as compared to earth.
3. Rocky
Mar si rocky like other terrestrial planets of solar system. These rocks that we see on mars surface are due to volcanic eruptions, impacts of other bodies and forces and movement of its crust and the atmospheric effects like dust storms etc.
4. Closest to earth
Mars is the only planet in our solar system that is closest to earth with respect to its climate conditions. Its temperature lies between -255 to +60 degree Fahrenheit. These conditions are harsh to live but better than other planets.
5. Finding life
It is said that earth bears the best conditions for humans to live similarly, mars has its thin atmosphere with carbon dioxide (95.3%), nitrogen (2.7 %), argon and traces of oxygen (0.15%). Water in liquid form has also found on mars but this is not sufficient.
6. Imagination booster
The planet has served as imagination booster for many people. In 1877 an astronomer observed the surface of the mars and named something canali or channels. The word canali was misinterpreted to canals which led people to think of life on mars, in 1939, a series “war of the worlds” was produced which made many people think about mars as a real life planet.
7. Mars’s satellites
Mars has two tiny natural satellites that orbit it all the time. These tiny objects are phobos and deimos. They were observed in 1877 by and American astronomer. Phobos is 11 km in radius and move at 9000 km away from Mars’s surface. Deimos has radius of 6 km.
8. Geological aspects
Mars has the biggest volcano of our solar system, Olympus Mons, 27 km in height and 600 km across. These mountains are so huge that they deform the roundness of mars. Mars also has a gigantic equatorial rift called marines valley.
9. Mars is visited several times
Mars has been visited several times by now, in 2004 the two machines opportunity and spirit landed on mars and are still sending NASA data and images of mars, in 2008 phoenix landed on mars and giving valuable information.
10. Human footsteps on mars
Scientists are very hopeful and excited about their journey to mars, at the moment, NASA is working on moon and it has named it the first step to mars.