Mars is often considered Earth’s twin, sharing many similar qualities such as its long Martian days referred to as sols. Mars shares Earth’s axial tilt and spin period, giving rise to similar seasons like spring, summer, autumn and winter. However, its orbital eccentricity is larger. Daytime Mars is often referred to as Earth’s “Twin.” It …
Scientists are making concerted efforts to learn more about Mars. If they hope to make it habitable for human life in the future, more knowledge must be accumulated first. One way of accomplishing this task is through growing plants that provide food and oxygen for astronauts – however this increases both weight and cost for …
Mars has an unusual atmosphere and features an outer crust comprised of rocks covered by an extremely thick layer of water-ice. Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in our solar system. Some astronomers have observed seasonal dark lines on Mars’s surface which might represent canals created by intelligent Martians – an idea …
Even though Mars has lost much of its overall magnetic field, some areas still create unique atmospheric electrodynamic structures – magnetic loops and cusps which alter how ions leave its atmosphere. Sabine Stanley and her colleagues have developed an effective technique for artificially creating these structures. Their paper published in Science details how this can …
Sending humans to Mars would be an immense financial and logistical endeavor, taking two to three years on average and necessitating constant supplies of food, water and rocket fuel. Spirit and Opportunity made history on Mars by outlasting expectations, serving over six years on each rover and discovering crucial information that helped scientists better comprehend …
The Terrain Characteristics of a Spacecraft in Mars Read More »
Mars is home to an exciting new breed of spacecraft designed to facilitate scientific study and discovery, and one day send humans there. These spacecraft offer unprecedented access for scientific analysis. The Lander is designed in the shape of a tetrahedron with sides that open like petals, housing cameras, weather stations and a six-wheeled rover …
A New Generation of Spacecraft on Mars is Opening a World of Exploration and Discovery Read More »
Layers play an essential part in shaping planet’s history and future development, including their melting effects on mantle material and volcanic eruptions that alter climate, foster life or destroy it. Scientists are now using the InSight lander to record marsquakes to examine these layers that lie below Mars, hoping that by doing so they will …
When asked which planet is closest to Earth, most would likely answer Venus – which makes sense given that it travels along its shortest orbit more frequently and thus comes closer to us more frequently. Mercury is actually the correct answer: from now until early August it is in opposition with Earth and this proximity …
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, boasting its Great Red Spot that nearly covers as much surface area as our own planet! People typically calculate which planet comes closest to Earth in size by subtracting their average distances from the Sun; however, due to the nature of elliptical orbits, which one actually …
