Mars, known as the Red Planet, has been a source of wonder for people for a long time. It’s the fourth planet from the Sun and is smaller than Earth. Mars has some really interesting features and tough conditions. Let’s explore what makes Mars so fascinating, including its structure, climate, and the possibility of life.
Mars is about 4,220 miles wide, which is similar to the distance across Africa. It’s farther from the Sun than Earth, so a year on Mars is longer, taking about 687 days compared to Earth’s 365 days. However, a day on Mars is almost the same as a day on Earth, lasting around 24 hours and 40 minutes.
Just like Earth, Mars is made up of three main layers:
Mars looks like a dry desert, but it’s much colder than Earth. Near the equator, temperatures can reach 20 degrees Celsius during the day, but in winter, they can drop to -142 degrees Celsius near the poles. Mars has seasons like Earth, but they are more extreme because of its long orbit and tilt. Its two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, don’t help stabilize its tilt like our Moon does for Earth.
Mars’s atmosphere is much thinner than Earth’s and is made up of over 95% carbon dioxide with less than 1% oxygen. This makes it hard for life to survive. Scientists think Mars once had a thicker atmosphere, warmer climate, and liquid water on its surface.
Mars has some amazing features, like Olympus Mons, the biggest volcano in the solar system, which is nearly three times taller than Mount Everest. Long ago, Mars had active volcanoes and was more welcoming to life. About 4 billion years ago, Mars lost its magnetic field, and solar winds blew away its atmosphere. This caused the water and volcanic activity to disappear, leaving behind the dry, red landscape we see today.
Even though Mars is not very friendly to life now, scientists are still hopeful about finding signs of past or even present life. The polar ice caps suggest that water might still be there in some form. Many space missions have been sent to Mars to explore its surface and see if it could support life. People are even thinking about living on Mars one day!
Mars, named after the Roman god of war, continues to be a source of excitement and study. As scientists learn more about this mysterious planet, the hope of finding life—either in the past or present—drives space exploration. Understanding Mars not only helps us learn more about the universe but also sparks our imagination about what might be possible beyond Earth.
Build a Mars Model: Create a simple model of Mars using clay or playdough. Divide your model into three layers: the core, mantle, and crust. Use different colors to represent each layer. As you build, think about how each layer is different from Earth’s layers. Discuss with a friend or family member why Mars’s crust is red and what materials make up each layer.
Weather Watch: Keep a weather diary for a week, noting the temperature and weather conditions each day. Compare your findings with what you learned about Mars’s climate. How do the temperatures on Earth differ from those on Mars? Discuss why Mars’s temperatures are so extreme and how its atmosphere affects the climate.
Math and Mars: Calculate how old you would be on Mars! Since a year on Mars is 687 days, use the formula:
$$ text{Age on Mars} = frac{text{Age on Earth in days}}{687} $$
First, find out how many days old you are by multiplying your age by 365. Then, divide that number by 687 to find your age on Mars. Discuss how living on Mars might change how we celebrate birthdays!
