Mars is a really cool planet that people often call the “Red Planet” because of its reddish color. It’s the fourth planet from the Sun and is smaller than most of the other planets in our solar system. Mars has some really interesting things that make it different from the other planets.
Mars is about 142 million miles away from the Sun. Because it’s so far away, Mars is pretty cold. The average temperature on Mars is around -81 degrees Fahrenheit, which is really chilly! If people ever visit Mars, they’ll need special suits to keep warm because it’s too cold for us to live there without protection.
One of the coolest things about Mars is Olympus Mons. It’s the tallest mountain in our solar system and is actually a giant volcano! It’s much bigger than any mountain on Earth, showing us how amazing Mars’ landscape is.
Mars also has two moons named Phobos and Deimos. Phobos is the bigger moon and goes around Mars three times a day, while Deimos takes about 30 hours to orbit Mars once. These moons are really interesting and help scientists learn more about Mars’ history and how it was formed.
A day on Mars is called a “sol,” and it lasts about 24 hours and 37 minutes. That’s pretty close to an Earth day, which makes it easier for scientists to study Mars. However, a year on Mars is much longer than a year on Earth. It takes about 687 Earth days for Mars to go all the way around the Sun once.
Mars is a fascinating planet with lots to discover. From its freezing temperatures and amazing mountains to its mysterious moons, Mars is a planet that scientists and space fans love to learn about. As we keep studying Mars, we find out more about its secrets and think about the possibilities for exploring it in the future.
Create Your Own Mars Model: Gather some clay or playdough and create a model of Mars. Use red, orange, and brown colors to represent the planet’s surface. Add features like Olympus Mons by making a small volcano on your model. You can also use small beads or buttons to represent Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos. Think about how you would design a space suit to keep warm on Mars. What materials would you use?
Temperature Experiment: Mars is very cold, with an average temperature of around -81 degrees Fahrenheit. To understand how cold this is, fill a bowl with ice and water. Place a thermometer in the bowl and observe the temperature. Discuss how this compares to the temperature on Mars. What would you need to wear if you were visiting Mars?
Calculate a Martian Year: Since a year on Mars is 687 Earth days, try calculating how many Earth years it would take for you to celebrate your birthday on Mars. For example, if you are 8 years old, how many Martian years have you lived? Use the formula:
$$ text{Martian Age} = frac{text{Earth Age} times 365}{687} $$
Discuss how living on Mars would change the way we celebrate birthdays and other events.
