1. Mars
The Red Planet

2. Size
Radius: 3397 km
Mass: e23 kg
Density: kg/m3

3. Composition Atmosphere: Composition:
CO2-95.3% -Core of sulfur, iron, and iron
N-2.7% sulfide. The Core is slightly
Ar-1.6% denser than Earth’s but has a
O-.15% much thinner crust.
H2O-.03% - Molten rocky mantle

4. Features Physical Features:
Olympus Mons - largest mountain in solar system(78,000 ft)
Valles Marineris - system of canyons running 4000 km long, up to 4 miles deep and as wide as 125 miles. It can fit the Grand Canyon inside it.
Hellas Planitia Crater miles wide, 3.6 miles deep
Icecaps at the poles made of dry ice
Tharsis mile x 6 mile bulge
Valles Marineris

5. Characteristics
No plate tectonics(would be similar to Earth if it had them, it can’t recycle CO2 so it has a colder surface
Mars has a large but weak magnetic field
Lava build-ups which account for Tharsis, a large bulge on the surface.

6. Discovery
Planet Discovery is unknown

7. Distances and Temperatures
Distances from Sun:
141.6 million miles
1.52 AU
Temperature:
22°C (72°F) in summer; at the south pole in the dead of winter, lows can be -125°C (-255°F).

8. Days & Years Orbit Time: Rotation Time:
days(about twice the length of an Earth year)
Rotation Time:
24.37 hours(remarkably similar to Earth, a day is almost the same)

9. Moons & Mythology Moons:
Phobos: Greek for “fear”, orbits Mars in 7.3 hours, bare because the gravity of Mars pulls dust off.
Deimos: Greek for “panic”, orbits Mars in 30.3 hours, covered with thick dust.
Phobos and Deimos were the sons of Mars and Aphrodite. They are thought to be captured asteroids and be about 2 billion years old.

10. Mythology
Named after the Greek Ares, the God of War. The Roman word for Ares is Mars, thus the name Mars.

11. Voyages to Mars Mars has been visited several times:
Mariner 3-4, Mariner 6-7, Mariner 8-9, Viking 1-2, Mars Observer, Pathfinder
The Mars Express is planned to land 2005 to further investigations of Mars.

12. Interesting Facts Sky is yellowish pink.
Mars’ icecaps are made of dry ice and not water ice, but there are traces of water ice underneath.
Mars’ wind patterns are very similar to Earth, but the atmosphere can support vast dust storms that engulf the entire planet.
Axial tilt is 25.2 degrees(Earth is 23.5)
It is estimated that in roughly 50 million years Phobos will run into the planet Mars, this is due to lowering tidal forces.
Large crater named Stickney(after Halls, the man who discovered Phobos and Deimos, wife’s maiden name)
Mars’ escape speed velocity is 3.1 miles/sec

14. The End