Name
|
- Mars is named for the Roman god of war, very likely because of its
red appearance. The month March is also named for Mars.
|
Discovery
|
- Mercury has been known since ancient times, and its observation has
been documented since at least 3000 BC, in texts of the ancient
Sumerians.
|
Size & Mass
|
| Diameter |
6,800 km |
53% of Earth |
| Mass |
6.42 x 1023
kg |
11% of Earth |
| Escape
velocity |
5.02 km/s |
45% of Earth |
| Gravity |
3.72 m/s2 |
38% of Earth |
| Density |
3.94 g/cm3 |
71% of Earth |
- Mars is much smaller than Earth. By sheer coincidence,
the total surface area of Mars is very close to the land surface
area on Earth.
|
|
Orbit
|
| Radius |
227,900,000 km [average] |
1.52 AU
[average] |
| Eccentricity |
0.0934 |
|
| Inclination |
1.85° |
|
| Revolution |
687 days |
|
| Velocity |
24.1 km/s |
|
| Obliquity |
25.2° |
|
| Rotation |
24.63 hours |
|
- Mars' day is nearly the same as an Earth day, and it's year is
fairly near to two Earth years. Mars is considered to be
at the outer edge of the Sun's "habitable zone" [the
region where surface temperatures could sustain known life
forms].
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Appearance
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Conditions
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| Temperature |
??? K |
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| Atmosphere |
??? |
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| Appearance |
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| Features |
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Moons/Rings
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Exploration
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Interesting Facts
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Links
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