Learn more about Planet Mars! Check out its characteristics, geological features, facts & figures, exploration efforts, and more.

1. A Report in Natural Science I
PLANET MARS
Presented by:
Sheila Miranda BSE-I

2. TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED
• Basics
• Orbit
• Topography
• Climate
• Water
• Geological Periods
• Atmosphere
• Interior
• The 2 Moons of Mars
• Missions to Mars

3. BASICS
• Fourth planet from the sun.
• Named after the Roman God of Wars
• Called the “RED PLANET” because of the
iron oxide (rust) in the surface.
• Earth is 9x bigger than Mars
• Apparent Magnitude: -3.0 to 1.6

4. ORBIT OF MARS
• Mars is 230 million km
away from the sun.
• Mars’ solar day (sol) = 24
hours and 39 minutes
• Mars revolution = 687
earth days

5. MOONS OF MARS

6. MOONS OF MARS
• discovered in 1877 by Asaph Hall
• origin is possibly asteroid capture.
• named after Greek mythology characters
Panic and Dread
• no total solar eclipses in Mars ; total
lunar eclipses happen every night

7. ATMOSPHERE
• Consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3%
nitrogen, 1.6% argon and traces of
oxygen and water
• No magnetosphere
• Extremely thin atmosphere

8. INTERIOR
• Core – consists of
iron + sulfur,
partially fluid
• Mantle – silicate
• Crust – 50-125 km
thick

9. TOPOGRAPHY
Olympus Mons
- Highest mountain in the
solar system (27km height)
Valles Marineris
- Largest known canyon in
the solar system (4000km
long)

10. TOPOGRAPHY
Borealis Basin
- (northern hemisphere)
covers 40% of the planet

11. TOPOGRAPHY
Sinus Meridiani
- Mars’ Prime Meridian
Hellas Impact Basin
- Biggest impact crater in
Mars

12. WATER IN MARS
Water was speculated
to be once present in
Mars, but today, water
cannot exist due to low
atmospheric
pressure (except in
low areas).

13. WATER IN MARS
Signs of water once existing in the planet
include:
• Its two permanent polar ice caps seem
to be made of water.
• Geographical features that show water
run-off or erosion.
• Detection of specific minerals that are
only present in water.

14. CLIMATE

15. CLIMATE
• Largest dust storm in the solar system
• Mars seasons are most Earth-like among
all planets in the solar system
• Temperature: -87˚C (winter) to -5˚C
(summer)

16. GEOLOGICAL PERIODS
Noachian Period
• named after Noachis Terra
• 4.5 – 3.5 billion years ago
• oldest surfaces of Mars were created in this period, like the Tharsis bulge
Hesperian Period
• named after Hesperia Planum
• 3.5 to 2.9 billion years ago
• marked by the formation of extensive lava plains
Amazonian Period
• named after Amazonis Planetia
• 2.9 billion years ago to present
• Olympus Mons formed during this period

17. EXPLORATION
Active Martian probes as of 2011:
• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
(2006)
• Mars Express (2003)
• Mars Odyssey (2001)
• Opportunity Rover (2004)

18. EXPLORATION
Past Missions:
• Mariner 4
• Mars 2 and 3
• Viking Program
• Mars Pathfinder
• Sojourner
• Phoenix Mars
Future Missions:
• Curiosity (2011)
• ExoMars (2018)

19. MAN ON MARS?

20. Q U E S T I O N S ?