Mars

         



The above image was taken from Wikimedia Commons, a site where all uploaded material may be used. = = =Introduction: = ====Mars is a terrestrial planet, the fourth planet from the sun in the solar system, and 1.5 AU from the sun. It takes 687 days for this planet to rotate the sun. Mars is referred to as the "Red Planet", despite it's brown or orange coloring. Mars receives its name from the Roman god of war. ====

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====<span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)"><span style="color: rgb(255, 154, 0)"> Though it is only a quarter of the size of Earth, Mars claims the tallest mountain in the solar system because its Olympus Mons stands 88,850 feet high. Aside from mountains, Mars also has volcanoes, valleys, polar ice caps, and deserts. Unlike Earth, Mars has two moons, referred to as Phobos and Deimos. ==== <span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)"><span style="color: rgb(255, 181, 0)"> Mars is known for a thin atmosphere. Specifically, its atmosphere contains

<span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)"><span style="color: rgb(255, 181, 0)">95% carbon, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and only traces of oxygen and water. It's core, 1480 km in Radius, consists primarily of iron. Lastly, its core contains between 14-17% sulfur. <span style="color: rgb(217, 120, 8)"><span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)">

I <span style="color: rgb(190, 137, 4)"><span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)">n <span style="color: rgb(245, 224, 5)"><span style="color: rgb(215, 141, 4)">formation from the above section of our website was found [|here.]

<span style="color: rgb(204, 148, 5)"> NASA is responsible for the above image, and we are using it with their <span style="color: rgb(239, 172, 6)">permission. =<span style="color: rgb(215, 148, 25)"> What we know: = <span style="color: rgb(242, 193, 13)"> -Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. -Mars has carbon dioxide and water ice present on both of its poles. -Mars has two moons. -Mars is a terrestrial planet. -Mars is extensively researched by NASA. -Mars is nicknamed "The Red Planet". -Mars orbits the sun.

<span style="color: rgb(242, 193, 13)"> -Mars has two polar ice caps. -Mars has volcanoes, craters, mountains, and other land features. -Mars has been studied for the possibility of life and water.

NASA is responsible for the above image and we are using it with their permission.

=<span style="color: rgb(240, 180, 51)"> What we want to know: = <span style="color: rgb(223, 162, 7)"> -Why are we trying to send people to Mars? -What would it be like to visit Mars? -If Mars was once like Earth, why is it so different now? -How is Mars different from other terrestrial planets? -What is the weather like on Mars?

<span style="color: rgb(223, 162, 7)"> -Why is it named after the Roman god? -What information have probes sent us about Mars? -Did Mars really once have liquid water? -What do scientists think about life on Mars?

=<span style="color: rgb(218, 163, 7)"> = <span style="color: rgb(222, 133, 18)">//What would it be like to visit Mars?// <span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">

If one were to visit Mars, they would be first overcome by the fine, red dust that covers its surface. However, they would also find ridiculously violent dust storms capable of lasting for months on end. Also, one could find the aforementioned mountains, volcanoes, and canyons. Mars, unfortunately, has temperatures far colder to those seen on Earth. That said, we found that humans are much more likely to be sunburned on Mars. This is due to the fact that the planet lacks a protective ozone layer. Lastly, crystals of frozen dioxide, appearing somewhat like snow, fall from the sky on Mars.

Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.]

//Why are we trying to send people to Mars?//

<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)"> <span style="color: rgb(236, 157, 19)"> People are fascinated by Mars, which is in many ways similar to Earth. While we can continue to send robots to Mars, humans want to experience the planet for themselves. Probes have brought up many questions of life and water, so curiosity and interest fuels many of our missions. However, much more practically, it is possible that humans might one day be forced to live on Mars, when Earth is no longer inhabitable.

<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)"> Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.]

//If Mars was once like Earth, why is it so different now?//

Mars, despite being in what scientists call “The Habitable Zone”, cannot sustain life. At one point, it was much like Earth. However, while the planets still have their similarities, they are much different now. Mars lacks the ability to sustain an efficient gas exchange. With time, its atmosphere grew much too thin, with a surface too cold, to sustain the Earth’s characteristics.

Information from the above section of our website was found [|here].

//How is Mars different from other terrestrial planets?//

We lack sufficient information to answer this question.

//Why is Mars named after a Roman god?//

Mars is named after the Roman god of war because its red color reminded the Romans of blood. They associated blood with war, and therefore thought "Mars" a fitting name.

Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.]

=<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">**Mars and Water:** = //<span style="color: rgb(201, 111, 29)">Did Mars really once have water? //

=<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)"> = <span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">The issue of water on Mars was first brou

<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">ght to light by a mistranslation. An Italian astronomer reported having seen “channels” on Mars, a word that was later misconstrued as “canals”. Since, however, scientists have discovered that the planet possesses carbon dioxide ice. More astonishingly, scientists insist that deep channels, canyons, and ancient lake shorelines hint at the fact that liquid water may once have existed on Mars. However, it is also apparent that the atmosphere on Mars is too thin, and temperatures are too cold, for the planet to currently hold liquid water. If the planet one day held water, those days are long gone.

Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.] The picture used in this section was taken by NASA and is used with their permission. It depicts an ex

<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">ample of the erosion which hints at the possibility of liquid water in the planet's distant past.

<span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)"> =<span style="color: rgb(192, 111, 17)"><span style="color: rgb(209, 127, 21)"><span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)"> Life on Mars:  =

<span style="color: rgb(230, 173, 71)"><span style="color: rgb(252, 172, 3)"><span style="color: rgb(229, 129, 16)"> <span style="color: rgb(226, 155, 44)">The idea of life on Mars was once deemed a possibility for the very same reason that the idea of water came about. Astronomers m  istakenly believed that they could see canals on the surface of mars, pointing to the possibility of humans o<span style="color: rgb(252, 172, 3)"><span style="color: rgb(229, 129, 16)"><span style="color: rgb(226, 155, 44)">   n the planet. After several p<span style="color: rgb(252, 172, 3)"><span style="color: rgb(229, 129, 16)"><span style="color: rgb(226, 155, 44)">  robes visited Ma<span style="color: rgb(252, 172, 3)"><span style="color: rgb(229, 129, 16)"><span style="color: rgb(226, 155, 44)">   <span style="color: rgb(252, 172, 3)"><span style="color: rgb(229, 129, 16)"><span style="color: rgb(226, 155, 44)">rs, it was determined that this was not the case. Pictures showed no visible signs of life and an examination of the planet's soil showed no signs of microorganisms. As a result, scientists have determined that no current life exists on Mars. They, do, however, leave open the possibility that Mars may have once supported life in its past.

<span style="color: rgb(162, 104, 6)"> Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.] <span style="color: rgb(206, 102, 13)">The picture was taken from Wikimedia Commons, a site where all uploaded content can be used freely.

<span style="color: rgb(225, 129, 9)"> =<span style="color: rgb(225, 129, 9)">Weather On Mars: = //<span style="color: rgb(214, 148, 46)">What is the weather ////<span style="color: rgb(214, 148, 46)">like on Mars? // <span style="color: rgb(245, 171, 25)"> Mars, much <span style="color: rgb(245, 171, 25)">like Earth, has seasons. When considering its year, which lasts twice as long as a year on Earth, Mars spends a pretty comparable time in each <span style="color: rgb(245, 171, 25)">seas <span style="color: rgb(245, 171, 25)">on. L <span style="color: rgb(245, 171, 25)">ike with Earth, temperatures vary through seasons. Additionally, Mars is known to have wind, causing the aforementioned, violent dust storms. Lastly, Mars has clouds, which have been photographed by NASA space probes. <span style="color: rgb(207, 126, 32)">Information from the above section of our website was found [|here.] <span style="color: rgb(233, 161, 68)">The picture from this section was taken by NASA and it's used with their permission. = = = = = = = = =<span style="color: rgb(204, 143, 25)"> = = = =<span style="color: rgb(204, 143, 25)"> = = = =<span style="color: rgb(204, 143, 25)"> = = = =<span style="color: rgb(204, 143, 25)"> = = = =<span style="color: rgb(204, 143, 25)">Space Probes: =


 * < <span style="color: rgb(239, 154, 31)">**The Soviet Union Probe Mars 3

Mariner 9

Viking 1&2

Pathfinder

Mars Global Surveyor

Mars Polar Lander** ||  ||< <span style="color: rgb(246, 165, 4)">Launched by Russia, this probe dropped a capsule into Mars to study the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the capsule failed to send the data back to the USSR.

Launched in 1971, this U.S probe took photographs of the planet’s surface. Additionally, it captured photographs of Phobus and Deimos, the two moons owned by Mars.

The U.S launched these two probes in 1971 in order to research weather on Mars, as well as the possibility of life on the planet.

Launched in 1996, Pathfinder was sent to research Mars’ geographical history.

Launched in 1996, Mars Global Surveyor was sent to Mars to study its magnetic fields, monitor its weather, and measure the radiation found on the planet.

Launched in 1999, the probe was sent to pick up samples of soil and to detect water on Mars. Unfortunately, Mars Polar Lander did not land properly. As a result, the mission failed.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112388/mars.htm || <span style="color: rgb(239, 144, 1)">

=<span style="color: rgb(221, 117, 8)">Mars' Moons: =

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 * ==<span style="color: rgb(255, 141, 0)">Phobos ==

Phobos is the largest and closet moon to Mars. It is above 6000 km above the surface of the Mars, it is also one of the smallest moons in our solar system. Phobos is made up of carbon-rich rocks. http://www.nineplanets.org/phobos.html || ==<span style="color: rgb(233, 143, 37)">Deimos == <span style="color: rgb(233, 143, 37)">

Deimos is the smallest and the farthest moon away from Mars. It was discovered in August 12,1877 by Aseph Hall. Just like Phobos, it is made up of carbon-rich rocks and ice. http://www.nineplanets.org/deimos.html ||