As the discussions and preparations about exploring the Red Planet gets real, National Geographic is all set to unveil a mini-series titled MARS on November 14. Delving into the concepts that discuss humans leaving earth to find a home on planet Mars, the half documentary and half dramatisation is set in 2033 and the present time. As the channel brings to you the documentary, let’s take a look at some of the facts about the Red Planet:
While the Greeks called the planet ‘Ares’ after their god of war, it was the Romans who gave the name Mars
The diameter of Mars is 4220 miles. It is slightly more than half the size of Earth and almost twice the size of the Moon
nA year at Mars comprises approximately 687 Earth Days. Earth makes two trips around the sun in about the same amount of time that Mars takes to make one trip
If you weighed 100 lBS on earth, you would weigh only about 38 lbs on Mars
Mars has about one-third the gravity of Earth. A rock dropped on Mars would fall slower than a rock dropped on Earth
The temperature on Mars may reach a high of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) at noon, at the equator in the summer, or a low of about -225 degrees Fahrenheit (-153 degrees Celsius) at the poles
Olympus Mons on Mars is the largest known volcano in our solar system.
Mars Close Approach is the point in Mars’ orbit when it comes closest to Earth. The next Mars Close Approach is July 31, 2018
nThe largest canyon in the Solar System cuts a wide swath across the face of Mars. Named Valles Marineris, the grand valley extends over 3,000 kilometers long, spans as much as 600 kilometers across, and delves as much as 8 kilometers deep
Scientists have long puzzled over this ‘Martian dichotomy’, but research published today points to a violent explanation for the contrasting landscapes. Early in its history, Mars was struck by a massive asteroid that changed the face of the planet forever