Mars - The Red Planet

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Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars - The Red Planet. Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech. Mars the Red Planet. Known to Babylonians 3,600 years ago as “Star that Wandered” The Greeks referred to it as “Ares” the god of War Romans called it Mars. Location. Mars. Image Courtesy of NASA. Basic Facts. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Mars - The Red Planet

Page 1: Mars - The Red Planet

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars the Red PlanetMars the Red Planet

Known to Babylonians 3,600 years Known to Babylonians 3,600 years ago as “Star that Wandered”ago as “Star that Wandered”

The Greeks referred to it as “Ares” The Greeks referred to it as “Ares” the god of Warthe god of War

Romans called it MarsRomans called it Mars

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LocationLocation

Image Courtesy of NASA

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Basic FactsBasic FactsDistance from Sun ≈1.52 times as far Distance from Sun ≈1.52 times as far as Earthas EarthTime to Orbit the Sun ~ 26 Earth Time to Orbit the Sun ~ 26 Earth monthsmonthsAtmosphere ~ Mostly carbon dioxideAtmosphere ~ Mostly carbon dioxideMartian Day ~ 24.7 hoursMartian Day ~ 24.7 hoursTemperature on the planet’s surface Temperature on the planet’s surface hardly rises above freezing pointhardly rises above freezing point

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Earth and Mars ComparisonEarth and Mars ComparisonEarthEarth MarsMars

RadiusRadius 6378 km6378 km 3397 km3397 km

DensityDensity 5515 kg/m5515 kg/m33 3933 kg/m3933 kg/m33

GravityGravity 9.8 m/s9.8 m/s22 3.72 m/s3.72 m/s22

YearYear 365.25 days365.25 days 686.98 days686.98 days

EccentricityEccentricity 0.0170.017 0.0940.094

DayDay 24 hours24 hours 24 hr 39 min24 hr 39 min

ObliquityObliquity 23.45º23.45º 25.19º25.19º

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Earth and Mars ComparisonEarth and Mars Comparison

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars Surface FeaturesMars Surface FeaturesSurface Color: “Red” Surface Color: “Red” FeaturesFeatures– Impact CratersImpact Craters– Largest volcano in the Largest volcano in the

solar systemsolar system(Olympus Mons)(Olympus Mons)

– Largest Canyon in the Largest Canyon in the Solar SystemSolar System(Valles Marineris)(Valles Marineris)

– Ancient river channelsAncient river channels– Lava RocksLava Rocks– Dust: Reddish from Dust: Reddish from

volcanic rockvolcanic rock

Valles Marineris

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars AtmosphereMars AtmosphereUnbreathableUnbreathableThinThinDusty, makes the sky pinkish, lots of Dusty, makes the sky pinkish, lots of dust stormsdust stormsSurface Pressure: 1/150Surface Pressure: 1/150thth of Earth’s of Earth’s (only 5.6 millibars)(only 5.6 millibars)

Composition: 95% COComposition: 95% CO22, 3% N, 1.5% , 3% N, 1.5% Ar, 0.1% OAr, 0.1% O22, 0.03% H, 0.03% H22OO

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Moons of MarsMoons of MarsMars has two tiny Mars has two tiny moons named moons named “Deimos” (Panic) & “Deimos” (Panic) & “Phobos” (Fear)“Phobos” (Fear)The moons are The moons are irregular and very irregular and very small in sizesmall in size– Phobos 27x22x18 kmPhobos 27x22x18 km– Deimos 15x12x10 kmDeimos 15x12x10 km

The moons are The moons are probably asteroids probably asteroids captured by Marscaptured by Mars

Deimos Phobos

Image Courtesy of NASA

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Is there Water on Mars?Is there Water on Mars?

Water is the key to life as we know itWater is the key to life as we know it

The north and south poles of Mars The north and south poles of Mars are covered with thick ice or frostare covered with thick ice or frost

Some astronomers about 100 years Some astronomers about 100 years ago thought there were canals on ago thought there were canals on Mars dug by intelligent civilizationMars dug by intelligent civilization

Space probes to date have not found Space probes to date have not found any traces of canals on Marsany traces of canals on Mars

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Previous Mission to MarsPrevious Mission to MarsViking 1 and 2 in Viking 1 and 2 in 19761976– First pictures of First pictures of

Martian surfaceMartian surface

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Previous Mission to MarsPrevious Mission to MarsPathfinder in 1997Pathfinder in 1997– Roving vehicle – Roving vehicle –

Sojourner to Sojourner to explore Martian explore Martian surfacesurface

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Current MissionsCurrent MissionsMars Global Mars Global SurveyorSurveyor– Accomplishes all Accomplishes all

the tasks of its the tasks of its missionmission

– And still goingAnd still going

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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OdysseyOdysseyDiscovered Discovered subsurface water subsurface water ice near polesice near poles

Track changes of Track changes of polar ice, clouds polar ice, clouds and dust stormsand dust storms

Generated maps of Generated maps of radiation and radiation and mineralsminerals

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars RoversMars RoversSpiritSpirit– Landed January 3, Landed January 3,

20042004

OpportunityOpportunity– Landed January 24, Landed January 24,

20042004

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars Reconnaissance OrbiterMars Reconnaissance OrbiterLaunch date 2005Launch date 2005SHARADSHARAD– Shallow Radar Shallow Radar

InstrumentInstrument– Penetrate ground and Penetrate ground and

search for water at search for water at depths greater than 3 depths greater than 3 feet.feet.

CRISMCRISM– SpectrometerSpectrometer– Find recent traces of Find recent traces of

waterwater

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mars Reconnaissance OrbiterMars Reconnaissance OrbiterLaunch date 2005Launch date 2005

CTXCTX– Contex CameraContex Camera– Wide area viewsWide area views

HiRISEHiRISE– High Resolution High Resolution

CameraCamera– In depth study of In depth study of

areas where water areas where water once flowedonce flowed

Image Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Future MissionFuture Mission

Phoenix - 2008

K9 RoverMars Science Laboratory - 2009

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Mars WebsitesMars Websites

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/classroomhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/classroom

http://mars.jpl.nasa.govhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov

http://marsed.asu.eduhttp://marsed.asu.edu

http://msip.asu.eduhttp://msip.asu.edu

http://marsbound.asu.eduhttp://marsbound.asu.edu