Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury. The radius is 2,106 mi. The weight is 6.39 × 10^23 kg and is 4.503 billion years. Inside Mars, the mantle is closely related to Earth. Mars is nicknamed the "red planet". It's surface is made of a thick layer of oxidized iron dust and rocks of the same color. Mars' crust is thought to be one piece.
No human has been to Mars yet. There is a scheduled mission in the 2030's. The math and budget for NASA is keeping us from going. Mars has 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos. Phobos is the innermost and larger of the two natural satellites of Mars. Deimos is the smaller of the two. There has been unmanned space missions to Mars. The average temperature on Mars, is −55 °C (218 K; −67 °F). Surface temperatures may reach about 20 °C (293 K; 68 °F) at noon, at the equator, and a low of about −153 °C (120 K; −243 °F) at the poles.
The word atmosphere means the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet. Astronomical unit(AU) is a unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometers, the mean distance from the center of the earth to the center of the sun. Magnetic field is a region around a magnetic material or a moving electric charge within which the force of magnetism acts. A satellite is an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth or moon or another planet in order to collect information or communication. An evolution is the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. An aurora a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, usually near the northern or southern magnetic pole.
By Julian Tapia May 5th, 2017 juliantapia@g.hayscisd.net
Credits:
Created with images by Kevin M. Gill - "Mars" • Kevin M. Gill - "Mars" • JD Hancock - "Digital Images From Spice" • NASA Goddard Photo and Video - "Curiosity Touching Down, Artist's Concept" • skeeze - "mars rover curiosity space travel" • NASA Goddard Photo and Video - "Hubble Takes Mars Portrait Near Close Approach"