This Article Is About The Planet. For Other Uses, See .: From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
This Article Is About The Planet. For Other Uses, See .: From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
This article is about the planet. For other uses, see Mars (disambiguation).
Mars
Designations
Pronunciation
Adjectives
/mrz/
Martian
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch J2000
Aphelion
1.6660 AU
249.2 million km
Perihelion
1.3814 AU
206.7 million km
Semi-major axis
1.523679 AU
227,939,100 km
Eccentricity
0.09350.0001
Orbital period
Synodic period
779.96 days
2.135 Julian years
24.077 km/s
Mean anomaly
19.3564
Inclination
1.850 to ecliptic
5.65 to Sun's equator
1.67 to invariable plane[1]
49.562
Argument of perihelion
286.537
Satellites
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
3389.50.2 km[a][3]
Equatorial radius
3396.20.1 km[a][3]
0.533 Earths
Polar radius
3,376.20.1 km[a][3]
0.531 Earths
Flattening
0.005890.00015
Surface area
144,798,500 km2
0.284 Earths
Volume
1.63181011 km3[4]
0.151 Earths
Mass
6.41851023 kg[4]
0.107 Earths
Mean density
3.93350.0004 g/cm[4]
Surface gravity
3.711 m/s[4]
0.376 g
0.36620.0017[5]
Escape velocity
5.027 km/s
1.025957 d
24h 37m 22s[4]
Axial tilt
North poledeclination
52.88650
Albedo
0.170 (geometric)[7]
0.25 (Bond)[6]
Surface temp.
min
mean
Kelvin
130 K
210 K
Celsius
143 C
[9]
max
[6]
63 C
Apparent magnitude
+1.6 to 3.0[8]
Angular diameter
3.525.1[6]
Atmosphere[6][14]
308 K
35 C[10]
Surface pressure
Composition by volume
95.97% carbon dioxide
1.93% argon
1.89% nitrogen
0.146% oxygen
0.0557% carbon
monoxide
210 ppm water vapor
100 ppm nitric oxide
15 ppm molecular
hydrogen[11]
2.5 ppm neon
850 ppb HDO
300 ppb krypton
130 ppb formaldehyde
80 ppb xenon
18 ppb hydrogen
peroxide[12]
10 ppb methane[13]
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest planet in the Solar System,
after Mercury. Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the "Red Planet" because
the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance.[15] Mars is a terrestrial
planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of
the Moonand the volcanoes, valleys, deserts, and polar ice caps of Earth. The rotational period and
seasonal cycles of Mars are likewise similar to those of Earth, as is the tilt that produces the
seasons. Mars is the site of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano and second-highest known
mountain in the Solar System, and of Valles Marineris, one of the largest canyons in the Solar
System. The smoothBorealis basin in the northern hemisphere covers 40% of the planet and may be
a giant impact feature.[16][17] Mars has two moons,Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly
shaped. These may be captured asteroids,[18][19] similar to 5261 Eureka, aMars trojan.
Until the first successful Mars flyby in 1965 by Mariner 4, many speculated about the presence of
liquid water on the planet's surface. This was based on observed periodic variations in light and dark
patches, particularly in the polar latitudes, which appeared to be seas and continents; long,
dark striations were interpreted by some as irrigation channels for liquid water. These straight line
features were later explained as optical illusions, though geological evidence gathered by unmanned
missions suggests that Mars once had large-scale water coverage on its surface at some earlier
stage of its life.[20] In 2005, radar data revealed the presence of large quantities of water ice at the
poles[21] and at mid-latitudes.[22][23] The Mars rover Spirit sampled chemical compounds containing
water molecules in March 2007. The Phoenix lander directly sampled water ice in shallow Martian
soil on July 31, 2008.[24]
Mars is host to seven functioning spacecraft: five in orbit2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter,MAVEN and Mars Orbiter Missionand two on the surfaceMars
Exploration Rover Opportunity and the Mars Science LaboratoryCuriosity. Observations by the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed possible flowing water during the warmest months on Mars.
[25]
In 2013, NASA's Curiosity rover discovered that Mars's soil contains between 1.5% and 3% water
by mass (albeit attached to other compounds and thus not freely accessible). [26]
There are ongoing investigations assessing the past habitability potential of Mars, as well as the
possibility of extant life. In situinvestigations have been performed by
the Viking landers, Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Phoenix lander, and Curiosity rover. Future
astrobiology missions are planned, including the Mars 2020 and ExoMars rovers.[27][28][29][30]
Mars can easily be seen from Earth with the naked eye, as can its reddish coloring. Its apparent
magnitude reaches 2.91,[6] which is surpassed only by Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, and the Sun.
Optical ground-based telescopes are typically limited to resolving features about 300 kilometers
(190 mi) across when Earth and Mars are closest because of Earth's atmosphere. [31]
Contents
[hide]
1 Physical characteristics
o
1.3 Soil
1.4 Hydrology
1.5.3 Volcanoes
1.5.5 Holes
1.6 Atmosphere
1.6.1 Aurora
1.7 Climate
4 Habitability
5 Exploration
5.1 Future
6 Astronomy on Mars
7 Viewing
7.1 Closest approaches
7.1.1 Relative
9 In culture
o
10 Moons
11 Gallery
12 See also
13 Notes
14 References
15 External links
Physical characteristics