How does Mars compare to Earth?
In many ways, Mars is very similar to Earth. Mars’ year and day are very similar to Earth compared to other planets. Mars’ is a terrestrial planet like Earth. Mars’ is smaller than Earth both in diameter and in mass. Unlike Earth, Mars has a very thin atmosphere made up mostly of carbon dioxide. As a result, it is much colder on Mars (average of -70 degrees F). There is evidence that open water in liquid form once existed on the surface of Mars like Earth. Perhaps there was even life on Mars billions of years ago. How do we know about Mars? Mars is one of the easiest planets to study from Earth. It is fairly close and, since it is further from the sun than us, it is easy to view in the night sky. The Mariner 4 spacecraft was the first to bring us close up pictures of Mars in 1965. Since then several space probes have visited Mars. The Viking 1, Viking 2, and Pathfinder landers, landed on the surface of Mars and sent us back pictures of the surface and analyzed the Martian soil. Mars wi
In many ways, Mars is very similar to Earth. Mars’ year and day are very similar to Earth compared to other planets. Mars’ is a terrestrial planet like Earth. Mars’ is smaller than Earth both in diameter and in mass. Unlike Earth, Mars has a very thin atmosphere made up mostly of carbon dioxide. As a result, it is much colder on Mars (average of -70 degrees F). There is evidence that open water in liquid form once existed on the surface of Mars like Earth. Perhaps there was even life on Mars billions of years ago. How do we know about Mars? Mars is one of the easiest planets to study from Earth. It is fairly close and, since it is further from the sun than us, it is easy to view in the night sky. The Mariner 4 spacecraft was the first to bring us close up pictures of Mars in 1965. Since then several space probes have visited Mars. The Viking 1, Viking 2, and Pathfinder landers, landed on the surface of Mars and sent us back pictures of the surface and analyzed the Martian soil. Mars wi
