Mars
Easily observed characteristics -
________
Seasonal surface variations
Different surface markings
An atmosphere
Length of day = ________________
Tilt = _______ degrees
Martians!!!!
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But seriously, what is Mars really like?
To find out you must explore it.
1976 - Viking I, II – orbiter, lander
1997 - Pathfinder lander and the Sojourner rover
2001 - Mars Odyssey - orbiter
2003 – Mars Express - orbiter
2004 - Opportunity – Spirit - rovers
2006 – Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
2008 – Phoenix – lander
2012 – Curiosity - rover
Seven Minutes of Terror – Explained
What really happened
2013 – Mars Orbiter Mission
2013 - MAVEN
Weather on Mars
Depends upon __________________________
Mars’ _________ effects the weather
Near ______________ -
Summer in the Southern Hemisphere
Large day-night temperature variations
Winds  Global dust storms
Early June Late July Late September
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Atmospheric Characteristics
Composition
95% __________
3 % ___________
0.15% __________
0.03% ___________
Pressure is _______ Earth’s
The temperature like Antarctica, with some extremes.
Fogs, clouds
No liquid water on the surface – only gas or solid water
Internal Structure
Lower density than the Earth
Magnetic field is ______________________________.
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Mars Surface Features
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Craters
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Happy Face
Crater
Polar
Ice Caps
Water Ice
Carbon Dioxide Ice
Tharsis Bulge
Vallis Marineris Region
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Tharsis Bulge - Volcanos
2-3 times taller than Earth
Volcanos
Olympus Mons
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Valles Marineris
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A rift (a crack) - not a water (erosion) feature
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Images from Mars
River deltas? How can this be?????
Surface
Studies
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2004 Rover Images
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Current Scientific Results
Water present today (ice)
More Earth-like in the past (liquid water)
Rocks - many volcanic in origin
Other rocks are sedimentary
No evidence for life
…yet
The Moons of Mars
Discovered by
Asaph Hall in
1877
Most likely captured asteroids
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Phobos “Fear”
Deimos “Panic”
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