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Mars

Mars. MARS. Mythology – ARES : The God of War. Nickname – The Red Planet. Statistics. Distance – 1.5 AU from the Sun Size = ½ the Diameter of Earth Orbital Period= 1.9 Years Rotation= 24.6 hours Gravity=.4 of Earth. CO2 and H20 frozen in caps Less greenhouse gases Planet is COLD.

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Mars

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  1. Mars

  2. MARS • Mythology – ARES : The God of War • Nickname – The Red Planet

  3. Statistics Distance – 1.5 AU from the Sun Size = ½ the Diameter of Earth Orbital Period= 1.9 Years Rotation= 24.6 hours Gravity=.4 of Earth

  4. CO2 and H20 frozen in caps • Less greenhouse gases • Planet is COLD Atmosphere Icehouse effect Mars currently has “ice caps” on its poles

  5. Exploration Rovers

  6. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were named through a student essay competition. • I used to live in an orphanage. It was dark and cold and lonely. At night, I looked up at the sparkly sky and felt better. I dreamed I could fly there. In America, I can make all my dreams come true. Thank you for the 'Spirit' and the 'Opportunity.'— Sofi Collis, age 9 Spirit and Opportunity

  7. Dates: • Launch – 2003 • Arrival – January 2004 • Dust Storm – 2007 • Stuck in the Mud - 2009

  8. About • Mission – To search for and characterize a wide range of rock and soil to explore for water (or past water) on mars

  9. Surface Features

  10. Mars Surface Northern Lowlands Tharsis Volcanoes Valles Marineris Clouds Souhern Highlands Southern Ice Cap

  11. Mars Surface Northern Lowlands Olympus Mons Valles Marineris Tharsis Volcanoes Hellas Southern Highlands

  12. Mars is divided in half Southern Highlands – Very old and cratered Northern Lowlands – Young with very few craters

  13. Ice Caps • Composed of mostly frozen CO2 • Some water

  14. Southern Ice Cap

  15. Olympus • Largest Volcano in the Solar System • 3x taller than the Earths Tallest Volcano

  16. VallesMarineras • Longest Canyon in the Solar System • As big as the United States

  17. Very Dry • Many Sand Dunes and Rock Fields • Dust Storms that can cover the entire planet

  18. Thin water vapor clouds

  19. How to set up your blank page • Three Sections: Missions, Moons and Faces

  20. Spirit and Opportunity • Mis Mission Objectives: Search of Evidence of Past Water on Mars

  21. Spirit Info • Landing Sight – Gustev Crater • Chosen because it appeared to once have a river flowing into • Searching for – evidence of water to confirm that it was a lake

  22. Opportunity • Landing site – Endurance Crater

  23. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity

  24. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity

  25. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity

  26. Accomplishments • Found Sedimentary Rock (rock that forms at the bottom of lakes, rivers and seas) • Found Hematite (a mineral that only forms in water)

  27. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity Sedimentary rock

  28. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity Hematite

  29. Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity Hematite Hematite crystals are the little “blue berries” in the image

  30. Other missions to Mars

  31. Evidence for water • Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter • Dried lake and river beds • Ancient shorelines • Underground permafrost

  32. Mars River Channels

  33. Mars Old Shorelines

  34. Mars Sedimentary rock

  35. Mars Current surface water

  36. Moons

  37. Mars Moons: Phobos and Deimos 2 moons; Captured asteroids

  38. Mars The Face: Viking Orbiter images. 1970’s poor resolution

  39. Mars The Face: Mars Global Surveyor Images. 2000 high resolution

  40. Mars Smiley Faces:

  41. Mars Other Faces: Hearts

  42. Mars A Frog:

  43. Mars Mars Global Surveyor Images. We can even see the rovers on the Surface

  44. Mars Global Surveyor

  45. Mars Global Surveyor

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