Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and has
some of the most spectacular scenery in the solar system. Mars has canyons 5
times as
deep and 10 times as long as the Grand Canyon, massive volcanoes more than twice as tall
as Mount Everest, polar ice caps, vast fields of sand dunes, skies the color of
butterscotch candy, clouds, fog, storms, and valleys reminiscent of dry riverbeds on
Earth.
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(Click image for larger view)
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Sunset and sunrise on Mars come with pink-and-red skies and
a blue-tinted sun. Frost covers the ground in the cold winter morning air.
Dust storms can develop and build up until they cover the entire
planet. Dust devils race across the arid plains. Winds blow at
over 50 miles per hour. Fog fills the valleys. Volcanoes and mountains rise majestically
over the horizon. Huge canyons show evidence of marsquakes and landslides. Craters of many
sizes dot the landscape. Similar to the Arizona desert, Mars is a familiar yet altogether
different world. |
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| The polar caps on Mars grow and recede during seasons that
are similar to ours on Earth. The Martian atmosphere, which was once perhaps thicker and
could sustain water on the surface of the planet, has vanished over time. The planet is
now a cold, dry desert and shows no signs of life. Click here
for a panoramic view of the surface of Mars from the Mars Pathfinder; use your mouse to
move around the image. |
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This image compares the relative sizes of Mars and Earth.
Mars, with a diameter of 6,790 kilometers, is slightly more than half the size of Earth
(diameter 12,750 kilometers). Even though Mars is smaller, the
surface area is equal to all of the land area on Earth! 70% of Earth's surface is covered by liquid water. In
contrast, Mars now has no liquid water on its surface and is covered with bare rock and
dust. The four dark circles in the Mars image are volcanoes. |
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| The current understanding of the interior of Mars
(based on data returned from spacecraft regarding Martian mass and size) suggests that
it has a thin crust similar to Earth's, a mantle, and a core. The core is believed to be
composed of iron (like the Earth's) or perhaps made out of less dense material,
such as a mixture of sulfur and iron. Click here for a
table of basic facts about Mars. |
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Questions to think about:
- What would it be like to explore the various regions of Mars?
- What places on Earth does Mars remind you of?
- What places would you like to explore first?
 The Atmosphere of Mars
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