Planet Mars

A Report in Natural Science I

PLANET MARS

Presented by:

Sheila Miranda BSE-I

TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

• Basics

• Orbit

• Topography

• Climate

• Water

• Geological Periods

• Atmosphere

• Interior

• The 2 Moons of Mars

• Missions to Mars

BASICS

• Fourth planet from the sun.

• Named after the Roman God of Wars

• Called the “RED PLANET” because of the iron oxide (rust) in the surface.

• Earth is 9x bigger than Mars 

• Apparent Magnitude: -3.0 to 1.6

ORBIT OF MARS

• Mars is 230 million km away from the sun.

• Mars’ solar day (sol) = 24 hours and 39 minutes  

• Mars revolution = 687 earth days

MOONS OF MARS

Phobos & Deimos

MOONS OF MARS

• discovered in 1877 by Asaph Hall

• origin is possibly asteroid capture.

• named after Greek mythology characters Panic and Dread

• no total solar eclipses in Mars ; total lunar eclipses happen every night

ATMOSPHERE

• Consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon and traces of oxygen and water

• No magnetosphere 

• Extremely thin atmosphere 

INTERIOR

• Core – consists of iron + sulfur, partially fluid

• Mantle – silicate

• Crust – 50-125 km thick

TOPOGRAPHY

Olympus Mons

- Highest mountain in the solar system (27km height)

Valles Marineris

- Largest known canyon in the solar system (4000km long)

TOPOGRAPHY

Borealis Basin

- (northern hemisphere) covers 40% of the planet

TOPOGRAPHY

Sinus Meridiani

- Mars’ Prime Meridian

Hellas Impact Basin

- Biggest impact crater in Mars

WATER IN MARS

Water was speculated to be once present in Mars, but today, water cannot exist due to low atmospheric pressure  (except in low areas).

WATER IN MARS

Signs of water once existing in the planet include:

• Its two permanent polar ice caps seem to be made of water. 

• Geographical features that show water run-off or erosion.

• Detection of specific minerals that are only present in water.  

CLIMATE

CLIMATE

• Largest dust storm in the solar system 

• Mars seasons are most Earth-like among all planets in the solar system

• Temperature: -87˚C (winter) to -5˚C (summer)

GEOLOGICAL PERIODS Noachian  Period

• named after Noachis Terra

• 4.5 – 3.5 billion years ago

• oldest surfaces of Mars were created in this period, like the Tharsis bulge

Hesperian Period

• named after Hesperia Planum

• 3.5 to 2.9 billion years ago

• marked by the formation of extensive lava plains

Amazonian Period

• named after Amazonis Planetia

• 2.9 billion years ago to present

• Olympus Mons formed during this period

EXPLORATION

Active Martian probes as of 2011:

• Mars Reconnaissance  Orbiter (2006)

• Mars Express (2003)

• Mars Odyssey (2001)

• Opportunity Rover (2004)

EXPLORATIONPast Missions:

• Mariner 4

• Mars 2 and 3

• Viking Program

• Mars Pathfinder

• Sojourner

• Phoenix Mars

Future Missions:

• Curiosity (2011)

• ExoMars (2018)

MAN ON MARS?

Q U E S T I O N S ?