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A Report in Natural Science I PLANET MARS Presented by: Sheila Miranda BSE-I

Planet Mars

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Learn more about Planet Mars! Check out its characteristics, geological features, facts & figures, exploration efforts, and more.

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Page 1: Planet Mars

A Report in Natural Science I

PLANET MARS

Presented by:

Sheila Miranda BSE-I

Page 2: Planet Mars

TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

• Basics

• Orbit

• Topography

• Climate

• Water

• Geological Periods

• Atmosphere

• Interior

• The 2 Moons of Mars

• Missions to Mars

Page 3: Planet 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

Page 4: Planet Mars

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

Page 5: Planet Mars

MOONS OF MARS

Phobos & Deimos

Page 6: Planet Mars

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

Page 7: Planet Mars

ATMOSPHERE

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

• No magnetosphere 

• Extremely thin atmosphere 

Page 8: Planet Mars

INTERIOR

• Core – consists of iron + sulfur, partially fluid

• Mantle – silicate

• Crust – 50-125 km thick

Page 9: Planet Mars

TOPOGRAPHY

Olympus Mons

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

Valles Marineris

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

Page 10: Planet Mars

TOPOGRAPHY

Borealis Basin

- (northern hemisphere) covers 40% of the planet

Page 11: Planet Mars

TOPOGRAPHY

Sinus Meridiani

- Mars’ Prime Meridian

Hellas Impact Basin

- Biggest impact crater in Mars

Page 12: Planet 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).

Page 13: Planet Mars

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.  

Page 14: Planet Mars

CLIMATE

Page 15: Planet Mars

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)

Page 16: Planet Mars

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

Page 17: Planet Mars

EXPLORATION

Active Martian probes as of 2011:

• Mars Reconnaissance  Orbiter (2006)

• Mars Express (2003)

• Mars Odyssey (2001)

• Opportunity Rover (2004)

Page 18: Planet Mars

EXPLORATIONPast Missions:

• Mariner 4

• Mars 2 and 3

• Viking Program

• Mars Pathfinder

• Sojourner

• Phoenix Mars

Future Missions:

• Curiosity (2011)

• ExoMars (2018)

Page 19: Planet Mars

MAN ON MARS?

Page 20: Planet Mars

Q U E S T I O N S ?