planet mars
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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 ?
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