Secrets of ancient Mars: How the Red Planet perished.

Mars is a planet of the solar system, discovered by mankind one of the first. To date, of all eight planets, it is Mars that has been studied in most detail. But this does not stop researchers, but, on the contrary, causes more and more interest in the Red Planet and its study.

Why is that called?

The planet got its name from Mars - one of the most revered gods of the ancient Roman pantheon, which, in turn, is a reference to the Greek god Ares, the patron saint of fierce and treacherous war. This name was not chosen by chance at all - the reddish surface of Mars resembles the color of blood and inevitably makes you remember the lord of bloody battles.

The names of the two satellites of the planet also carry a deep meaning. The words “Phobos” and “Deimos” in Greek mean “Fear” and “Horror,” that was the name of the two sons of Ares, who, according to legend, always accompanied their father in battle.

A brief history of learning

For the first time, mankind did not begin to observe Mars through telescopes. Even the ancient Egyptians noticed the Red Planet as a wandering object, as evidenced by ancient written sources. The Egyptians first calculated the trajectory of Mars relative to the earth.

Then the baton was taken over by astronomers of the Babylonian kingdom. Scientists from Babylon were able to more accurately determine the location of the planet and measure the time of its movement. The following were the Greeks. They managed to create an accurate geocentric model and with its help understand the movement of the planets. Then the scientists of Persia and India were able to estimate the size of the Red Planet and its distance to the Earth.

A huge breakthrough was made by European astronomers. Johannes Kepler, based on the model of Nikolai Kapernik, was able to calculate the elliptical orbit of Mars, and Christian Huygens created the first map of its surface and noticed an ice cap at the north pole of the planet.

The advent of telescopes has flourished in the study of Mars. Slipher, Barnard, Vaucouler, and many other astronomers became the greatest explorers of Mars before man went into space.

The exit of man into space made it possible to study the Red Planet more accurately and in detail. In the middle of the 20th century, accurate images of the surface were made using interplanetary stations, and ultra-powerful infrared and ultraviolet telescopes made it possible to measure the composition of the planet’s atmosphere and the wind speed on it.

Subsequently, more and more accurate studies of Mars from the USSR, the USA, and then other states followed.

The study of Mars continues to this day, and the data obtained only fuel interest in its study.

Characteristics of mars

• Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, adjacent to the Earth on one side, and with Jupiter on the other. In size, he is one of the smallest and surpasses only Mercury.
• The length of the equator of Mars is slightly more than half of the equator of the Earth, and its surface area is approximately equal to the land area of \u200b\u200bthe Earth.
• There is a change of seasons on the planet, but their duration varies greatly. For example, summer in the northern part is long and cold, and in the southern part is shorter and warmer.
• The length of the day is quite comparable with the Earth - 24 hours and 39 minutes, that is, a little more.

Planet surface

No wonder the second name of Mars is “Red Planet”. Indeed, from afar its surface looks reddish-reddish. This shade of the surface of the planet gives red dust, which is contained in the atmosphere.

However, near the planet, it changes its color sharply and looks no longer red, but tan. Sometimes other colors can be mixed with these colors: golden, reddish, greenish. The source of these shades is the colored minerals that are also present on Mars.

The main part of the planet’s surface is made up of “continents” - clearly visible light areas, and a very small part - “seas”, dark and poorly visible areas. Most of the “seas” are located in the southern hemisphere of Mars. The nature of the “seas” is still under debate among researchers. But now, scientists are most inclined to the following explanation: dark areas are simply bumps on the surface of the planet, namely craters, mountains and hills.

The following fact is extremely curious: the surface of the two hemispheres of Mars is very different.

The northern hemisphere is largely composed of smooth plains; its surface is below average.

The southern hemisphere is mostly covered with craters, its surface is above average.

Building and geological data

The study of the magnetic field of Mars and the volcanoes that are located on its surface, led scientists to an interesting conclusion: once on Mars, like on Earth, there was a movement of plates of the lithosphere, which now, however, is not observed.

Modern researchers tend to think that the internal structure of Mars consists of the following components:

1. Bark (approximate thickness - 50 kilometers)
2. Silicate mantle
3. The core (approximate radius - 1,500 kilometers)
4. The core of the planet is partially liquid and contains twice as many light elements than the core of the Earth.

Everything about the atmosphere

The atmosphere of Mars is very rarefied, and mainly consists of carbon dioxide. In addition, it includes: nitrogen, water vapor, oxygen, argon, carbon monoxide, xenon and many other elements.

The atmosphere is approximately 110 kilometers thick. The atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is less than the Earth’s pressure by more than 150 times (6.1 Millibar).

The temperature on the planet varies in a very wide range: from -153 to +20 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperatures occur at the pole in the winter, the highest - at the equator at noon. Average temperatures are around -50 degrees Celsius.

Interestingly, a thorough analysis of the Martian meteorite “ALH 84001” prompted scientists to think that a very long time ago (billions of years ago), the atmosphere of Mars was denser and wetter, and the climate was warmer.

Is there life on Mars?

There is still no single answer to this question. Currently, there is scientific evidence that is arguing in favor of both theories.

• The presence in the soil of the planet of a sufficient amount of nutrients.
• A large amount of methane on Mars, whose source is unknown.
• The presence of water vapor in the soil layer.

• Instant evaporation of water from the surface of the planet.
• Vulnerability to the Solar Wind Bombing.
• Water on Mars is too salty and alkaline and unsuitable for life.
• Intense ultraviolet radiation.

Thus, scientists cannot give an exact answer, since the amount of necessary data is too small.

• The mass of Mars is 10 times less than the mass of the Earth.
• The first person to see Mars through a telescope was Galileo Galilei.
• Initially, Mars was the Roman god of harvest, not war.
• The inhabitants of Babylon called the planet "Nergal" (in honor of their evil deity).
• In ancient India, Mars bore the name "Mangala" (Indian god of war).
• In culture, Mars has become the most popular planet in the solar system.
• The daily dose of radiation on Mars is equal to the annual dose on Earth.

Since ancient times, space has attracted people's attention. Astronomers began to study the planets of the solar system in the Middle Ages, viewing them with primitive telescopes. But a thorough classification, description of the structural features and movement of celestial bodies became possible only in the 20th century. With the advent of powerful equipment, equipped with the latest technology of observatories and spacecraft, several previously unknown objects were discovered. Now each student can list all the planets of the solar system in order. A space probe descended on almost all of them, and so far man has only visited the moon.

What is a solar system?

The universe is huge and includes many galaxies. Our solar system is part of a galaxy in which more than 100 billion stars. But there are very few that look like the sun. Basically, all of them are red dwarfs, which are smaller in size and shine less brightly. Scientists have suggested that the solar system formed after the emergence of the sun. A gas-dust cloud captured its huge field of attraction, from which particles of solid matter formed as a result of gradual cooling. Over time, celestial bodies formed from them. It is believed that the sun is now in the middle of its life path, therefore, it will exist, as well as all celestial bodies dependent on it, for several billion years. Near space astronomers have long studied, and anyone knows what planets of the solar system exist. Their photos taken from space satellites can be found on the pages of various information resources on this topic. All celestial bodies are held by a strong field of gravity of the Sun, which is more than 99% of the volume of the solar system. Large celestial bodies rotate around the star and around its axis in the same direction and in the same plane, which is called the plane of the ecliptic.

Planets of the solar system in order

In modern astronomy, celestial bodies, starting from the Sun, are considered to be. In the 20th century, a classification was created, which includes 9 planets of the solar system. But recent space exploration and recent discoveries have prompted scientists to revise many of the provisions in astronomy. And in 2006, at the international congress, because of its small size (a dwarf with a diameter not exceeding three thousand kilometers), Pluto was excluded from the number of classical planets, and there were eight of them. Now the structure of our solar system has assumed a symmetrical, harmonious appearance. It includes four terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, then comes the asteroid belt, followed by four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. On the outskirts of the solar system also passes which scientists called the Kuiper belt. It is in it that Pluto is located. These places are still little studied due to their remoteness from the sun.

Features of the terrestrial planets

What makes it possible to attribute these celestial bodies to one group? We list the main characteristics of the inner planets:

• relatively small sizes;
• hard surface, high density and similar composition (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium and other heavy elements);
• the presence of the atmosphere;
• the same structure: a core of iron with impurities of nickel, a mantle consisting of silicates, and a crust of silicate rocks (except Mercury - it does not have a crust);
• a small number of satellites - only 3 on four planets;
• rather weak magnetic field.

Features of giant planets

As for the outer planets, or gas giants, they have such similar characteristics:

• large sizes and masses;
• they do not have a solid surface and consist of gases, mainly helium and hydrogen (therefore they are also called gas giants);
• a liquid core consisting of metallic hydrogen;
• high rotation speed;
• a strong magnetic field, which explains the unusual nature of many processes taking place on them;
• there are 98 satellites in this group, most of which belong to Jupiter;
• the most characteristic feature of gas giants is the presence of rings. All four planets have them, however, they are not always noticeable.

First Planet - Mercury

It is located closest to the Sun. Therefore, from its surface, the luminary looks three times larger than from the Earth. This also explains the strong temperature drops: from -180 to +430 degrees. Mercury moves very fast in orbit. Maybe that's why he got that name, because in Greek mythology, Mercury is the messenger of the gods. There is practically no atmosphere, and the sky is always black, but the sun shines very brightly. However, at the poles there are places where its rays never fall. This phenomenon can be explained by the inclination of the axis of rotation. No water was found on the surface. This circumstance, as well as the abnormally high daytime temperature (as well as the low night temperature) completely explain the fact of the absence of life on the planet.

Venus

If you study the planets of the solar system in order, then the second in a row is Venus. Her people could watch in the sky in antiquity, but since it was shown only in the morning and in the evening, it was believed that these were 2 different objects. By the way, our ancestors-Slavs called it Merzana. This is the third brightest object in our solar system. Previously, people called it the morning and evening star, because it is best seen before sunrise and sunset. Venus and Earth are very similar in structure, composition, size and gravity. Around its axis, this planet moves very slowly, making a complete revolution in 243.02 Earth days. Of course, the conditions on Venus are very different from the earth. It is two times closer to the Sun, so it is very hot there. The high temperature is also explained by the fact that the dense clouds of sulfuric acid and the atmosphere of carbon dioxide create a greenhouse effect on the planet. In addition, the pressure at the surface is 95 times greater than on Earth. Therefore, the first ship that visited Venus in the 70s of the 20th century survived there for no more than an hour. A feature of the planet is that it rotates in the opposite direction, compared with most planets. Nothing more is known to astronomers about this celestial object.

Third planet from the Sun

The only place in the solar system, and indeed in the entire universe known to astronomers, where life exists, is the Earth. In the earth group, it has the largest sizes. What are her still

1. The largest gravity among the planets of the earth group.
2. Very strong magnetic field.
3. High density.
4. She is the only one among all the planets to have a hydrosphere, which contributed to the formation of life.
5. It has the largest, in comparison with its size, satellite, which stabilizes its tilt relative to the Sun and affects natural processes.

The planet Mars

This is one of the smallest planets in our galaxy. If we consider the planets of the solar system in order, then Mars is the fourth from the Sun. Its atmosphere is very rarefied, and the pressure on the surface is almost 200 times less than on Earth. For the same reason, very strong temperature differences are observed. The planet Mars has been little studied, although it has long attracted the attention of people. According to scientists, this is the only celestial body on which life could exist. Indeed, in the past there was water on the surface of the planet. This conclusion can be made on the basis that there are large ice caps at the poles, and the surface is covered with many furrows, which could be dried up river beds. In addition, there are some minerals on Mars, the formation of which is possible only in the presence of water. Another feature of the fourth planet is the presence of two satellites. Their unusual thing is that Phobos is gradually slowing down its rotation and approaching the planet, and Deimos, on the contrary, is moving away.

What is famous for Jupiter

The fifth planet is the largest. 1300 Earth would fit in the volume of Jupiter, and its mass is 317 times greater than the Earth. Like all gas giants, its structure is hydrogen-helium, resembling the composition of stars. Jupiter is the most interesting planet, which has many characteristic features:

• it is the third brightest celestial body after the Moon and Venus;
• on Jupiter, the strongest magnetic field among all the planets;
• he completes a complete revolution around the axis in just 10 earth hours - faster than other planets;
• an interesting feature of Jupiter is a large red spot - this is how the atmospheric vortex rotating counterclockwise is visible from Earth;
• like all giant planets, it has rings, though not as bright as that of Saturn;
• this planet has the largest large number of satellites. He has 63 of them. The most famous are Europe, where they found water, Ganymede is the largest satellite of the planet Jupiter, as well as Io and Calisto;
• another feature of the planet is that in the shade the surface temperature is higher than in places illuminated by the Sun.

Planet saturn

This is the second largest gas giant, also named after the ancient god. It consists of hydrogen and helium, but traces of methane, ammonia and water were found on its surface. Scientists have found that Saturn is the most sparse planet. Its density is less than that of water. This gas giant rotates very quickly - it makes one revolution in 10 Earth hours, as a result of which the planet is flattened from the sides. Huge speeds on Saturn and the wind - up to 2000 kilometers per hour. This is more than the speed of sound. Saturn has another distinctive feature - it holds 60 satellites in the field of its attraction. The largest of them - Titan - is the second largest in the entire solar system. The uniqueness of this object lies in the fact that, by examining its surface, scientists first discovered a celestial body with conditions similar to those that existed on Earth about 4 billion years ago. But the most important feature of Saturn is the presence of bright rings. They encircle the planet around the equator and reflect more light than itself. Four is the most amazing phenomenon in the solar system. Unusually, the inner rings move faster than the outer ones.

  - Uranus

So, we continue to consider the planets of the solar system in order. The seventh planet from the Sun is Uranus. It is the coldest of all - the temperature drops to -224 ° C. In addition, scientists did not find metallic hydrogen in its composition, but found modified ice. Because Uranus is classified as a separate category of ice giants. An amazing feature of this celestial body is that it rotates lying on its side. The change of seasons on the planet is also unusual: winter reigns there for 42 earth years, and the Sun does not appear at all, summer also lasts 42 years, and the Sun does not set at this time. In the spring and autumn, the sun appears every 9 hours. Like all giant planets, Uranus has rings and many satellites. As many as 13 rings rotate around it, but they are not as bright as Saturn’s, and the planet holds only 27 satellites. If we compare Uranus with the Earth, it is 4 times its size, 14 times heavier and located at a distance from the Sun, 19 times the path to the luminary from our planet.

Neptune: The Invisible Planet

After Pluto was excluded from the number of planets, Neptune became the last of the Sun in the system. It is located 30 times further from the star than the Earth, and from our planet is not even visible through a telescope. Scientists discovered it, so to speak, by chance: observing the peculiarities of the motion of the planets closest to it and their satellites, they concluded that beyond the orbit of Uranus there should be another large celestial body. After discovery and research, interesting features of this planet were revealed:

• due to the presence of a large amount of methane in the atmosphere, the color of the planet from space seems blue-green;
• neptune’s orbit is almost perfectly round;
• the planet rotates very slowly - it completes one circle in 165 years;
• Neptune is 4 times larger than Earth and 17 times heavier, but the force of attraction is almost the same as on our planet;
• the largest of the 13 moons of this giant is Triton. He is always turned to the planet on one side and slowly approaches it. According to these signs, scientists suggested that he was captured by the attraction of Neptune.

In the entire galaxy, the Milky Way - about a hundred billion planets. While scientists can not even study some of them. But the number of planets in the solar system is known to almost all people on Earth. True, in the 21st century, interest in astronomy faded a little, but even children know the name of the planets of the solar system.

Mars is the fourth planet of our solar system and the second smallest after Mercury. Named after the ancient Roman god of war. Her nickname "Red Planet" comes from the reddish hue of the surface, which is due to the predominance of iron oxide. Every few years, when Mars is in opposition to Earth, it is most noticeable in the night sky. For this reason, people have been observing the planet for many millennia, and its appearance in the sky has played a large role in the mythology and astrological systems of many cultures. In the modern era, it has become a real treasury of scientific discoveries that have expanded our understanding of the solar system and its history.

Size, orbit and mass of Mars

The radius of the fourth planet from the Sun is about 3396 km at the equator and 3376 km in the polar regions, which corresponds to 53%. And although it is about two times smaller, the mass of Mars is 6.4185 x 10²³ kg, or 15.1% of the mass of our planet. The inclination of the axis is similar to that of the earth and is equal to 25.19 ° to the plane of the orbit. This means that the fourth planet from the Sun is also experiencing a change of seasons.

At its greatest distance from the Sun, Mars moves in orbit at a distance of 1,666 a. e., or 249.2 million km. At perihelion, when it is closest to our luminary, it is 1.3814 a distant from it. e., or 206.7 million km. The red planet takes 686.971 Earth days, which is equivalent to 1.88 Earth years, to complete a revolution around the Sun. In Martian days, which are equal to one day and 40 minutes on Earth, the year lasts 668.5991 days.

Soil composition

At an average density of 3.93 g / cm³, this characteristic of Mars makes it less dense than Earth. Its volume is about 15% of the volume of our planet, and the mass is 11%. Red Mars is a consequence of the presence of iron oxide on the surface, better known as rust. The presence of other minerals in the dust provides the presence of other shades - gold, brown, green, etc.

This terrestrial planet is rich in minerals containing silicon and oxygen, metals and other substances that are usually found in rocky planets. The soil is slightly alkaline and contains magnesium, sodium, potassium and chlorine. Experiments conducted on soil samples also show that its pH is 7.7.

Although liquid water cannot exist due to its thin atmosphere, large concentrations of ice are concentrated within the polar caps. In addition, from the pole to 60 ° latitude, the permafrost belt extends. This means that water exists under most of the surface in the form of a mixture of its solid and liquid state. Radar data and soil samples confirmed the presence in mid latitudes as well.

Internal structure

The planet Mars, which is 4.5 billion years old, consists of a dense metal core surrounded by a silicon mantle. The core consists of iron sulfide and contains twice as many light elements than the core of the Earth. The average thickness of the crust is about 50 km, the maximum is 125 km. If we take into account the earth's crust, whose average thickness is 40 km, 3 times thinner than the Martian.

Modern models of its internal structure suggest that the core size in the radius is 1700-1850 km, and it consists mainly of iron and nickel with approximately 16-17% sulfur. Due to its smaller size and mass, gravity on the surface of Mars is only 37.6% of the earth. here it is equal to 3.711 m / s², compared with 9.8 m / s² on our planet.

Surface characteristics

Red Mars is dusty and dry on top, and geologically it is very reminiscent of the Earth. It has plains and mountain ranges, and even the largest sand dunes in the solar system. Here is also located the highest mountain - the shield volcano Olympus, and the longest and deepest canyon - the Mariner Valley.

Impact craters are typical landscape elements that dot the planet Mars. Their age is in the billions of years. Due to the slow rate of erosion, they are well preserved. The largest of them is the Valley of Hellas. The circumference of the crater is about 2300 km, and its depth reaches 9 km.

On the surface of Mars, gullies and canals can also be distinguished, and many scientists believe that water once flowed through them. Comparing them with similar formations on Earth, we can assume that they are at least partially formed by water erosion. These channels are quite large - 100 km wide and 2 thousand km long.

Satellites of mars

Mars has two small satellites, Phobos and Deimos. They were discovered in 1877 by the astronomer Asaf Hall and bear the names of mythical characters. In accordance with the tradition of obtaining names from classical mythology, Phobos and Deimos are the sons of Ares, the Greek god of war, who was the prototype of Roman Mars. The first of them represents fear, and the second - confusion and horror.

Phobos is about 22 km in diameter, and the distance to Mars from it is 9234.42 km at perigee and 9517.58 km at its peak. This is below synchronous altitude, and the satellite only needs 7 hours to fly around the planet. Scientists estimate that in 10-50 million years, Phobos may fall to the surface of Mars or decay into a ring structure around it.

Deimos has a diameter of about 12 km, and its distance to Mars is 23455.5 km at perigee and 23470.9 km at its peak. The satellite completes a full revolution in 1.26 days. Mars may have additional satellites, the sizes of which are less than 50-100 m in diameter, and there is a dust ring between Phobos and Deimos.

According to scientists, these satellites were once asteroids, but then they were captured by the gravity of the planet. The low albedo and composition of both moons (carbon-containing chondrite), which is similar to the material of asteroids, support this theory, and the unstable orbit of Phobos, it would seem, suggests a recent capture. Nevertheless, the orbits of both moons are circular and are in the plane of the equator, which is unusual for captured bodies.

Atmosphere and Climate

The weather on Mars is due to the presence of a very thin atmosphere, which is 96% carbon dioxide, 1.93% argon and 1.89% nitrogen, as well as traces of oxygen and water. It is very dusty and contains solid particles measuring 1.5 microns in diameter, which colors the Martian sky, when viewed from the surface, in dark yellow. Atmospheric pressure varies between 0.4-0.87 kPa. This is equivalent to about 1% of Earth’s at sea level.

Due to the thin layer of the gas shell and greater distance from the Sun, the surface of Mars warms up much worse than the surface of the Earth. On average, it is -46 ° C. In winter, it drops to -143 ° C at the poles, and in summer at noon at the equator it reaches 35 ° C.

Dust storms are raging on the planet, turning into small tornadoes. More powerful hurricanes occur when dust rises and is heated by the sun. Winds are intensified, creating storms, the scales of which are measured in thousands of kilometers, and their duration - several months. They actually hide almost the entire surface area of \u200b\u200bMars from sight.

Traces of methane and ammonia

Traces of methane, whose concentration is 30 parts per billion, have also been discovered in the atmosphere of the planet. It is estimated that Mars should produce 270 tons of methane per year. After entering the atmosphere, this gas can exist only for a limited period of time (0.6-4 years). Its presence, despite its short lifetime, indicates that an active source must exist.

Among the proposed options are volcanic activity, comets and the presence of methanogenic microbial life forms below the surface of the planet. Methane can be obtained in non-biological processes called serpentinization involving water, carbon dioxide and olivine, which is often found on Mars.

Express has also been detected ammonia, but with a relatively short life time. It is not clear what produces it, but volcanic activity was suggested as a possible source.

Planet exploration

Attempts to find out what Mars is, began in the 1960s. In the period from 1960 to 1969, the Soviet Union launched 9 unmanned spacecraft to the Red Planet, but all of them could not reach the goal. In 1964, NASA began launching Mariner probes. The first were Mariner-3 and Mariner-4. The first mission failed during deployment, but the second, launched 3 weeks later, successfully completed a 7.5-month journey.

“Mariner-4” took the first close images of Mars (showing impact craters) and provided accurate data on atmospheric pressure on the surface and noted the absence of a magnetic field and radiation belt. NASA continued the program with the launch of another pair of Mariner 6 and 7 span probes, which reached the planet in 1969.

In the 1970s, the USSR and the USA competed in who would be the first to launch an artificial satellite into orbit of Mars. The Soviet M-71 program included three spacecraft - Cosmos-419 (Mars-1971C), Mars-2, and Mars-3. The first heavy probe crashed during launch. Subsequent missions, Mars-2 and Mars-3, were a combination of the orbiter and the lander and became the first stations to make an extraterrestrial landing (except the moon).

They were successfully launched in mid-May 1971 and flew from Earth to Mars for seven months. On November 27, the Mars-2 lander made an emergency landing due to a malfunction of the on-board computer and became the first man-made object to reach the surface of the Red Planet. On December 2, Mars-3 made a full-time landing, but its transmission was interrupted after 14.5 from the broadcast.

Meanwhile, NASA continued the Mariner program, and in 1971 probes 8 and 9 were launched. Mariner 8 during launch and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. But the second spacecraft not only reached Mars, but also became the first successfully launched into its orbit. While the dust storm of a planetary scale lasted, the satellite managed to take several photos of Phobos. When the storm subsided, the probe took pictures that provided more detailed evidence that water had once flowed on the surface of Mars. It was found that the hill called Olympus Snow (one of the few objects that remained visible during the planetary dust storm) is also the highest formation in the solar system, which led to its renaming to Mount Olympus.

In 1973, the Soviet Union sent four more probes: the 4th and 5th orbiters Mars, as well as the orbital and descent probes Mars-6 and 7. All interplanetary stations, except for Mars-7, transmitted data , and the expedition "Mars-5" was the most successful. Before the depressurization of the transmitter case, the station managed to transmit 60 images.

By 1975, NASA launched Viking 1 and 2, which consisted of two orbiting vehicles and two landers. The mission to Mars was aimed at finding traces of life and observing its meteorological, seismic and magnetic characteristics. The results of biological experiments aboard the launching Vikings were inconclusive, but a reanalysis of the data published in 2012 suggested signs of microbial life on the planet.

Orbital vehicles provided additional data confirming that once there was water on Mars - large floods formed deep canyons thousands of kilometers long. In addition, sections of the branched streams in the southern hemisphere suggest that precipitation once occurred here.

Resumption of flights

The fourth planet from the sun was not explored until the 1990s, when NASA sent the Mars Pathfinder mission, which consisted of a spacecraft that landed a station with the Sojorner moving probe. The device landed on Mars on July 4, 1987 and became a proof of the viability of the technologies that will be used in future expeditions, such as landing using airbags and an automatic obstacle avoidance system.

The next mission to Mars is the MGS mapping satellite, it reached the planet on September 12, 1997 and began operations in March 1999. During one full Martian year from low altitude in almost polar orbit, he studied the entire surface and atmosphere and sent more data about the planet than all previous missions combined.

On November 5, 2006, MGS lost contact with the Earth, and NASA's efforts to restore it were discontinued on January 28, 2007.

In 2001, Mars Odyssey Orbiter was sent to find out what Mars was. His goal was to search for evidence of the existence of water and volcanic activity on the planet using spectrometers and thermal imagers. In 2002, it was announced that the probe had detected a large amount of hydrogen - evidence of the existence of huge ice deposits in the upper three meters of soil within 60 ° of the south pole.

On June 2, 2003, it launched the Mars Express, a spacecraft consisting of a satellite and a Beagle-2 descent probe. It entered orbit on December 25, 2003, and the probe entered the planet’s atmosphere on the same day. Before ESA lost contact with the lander, Mars Express Orbiter confirmed the presence of ice and carbon dioxide at the south pole.

In 2003, NASA began exploring the planet under the MER program. It used two rovers "Spirit" and "Optitude". The mission to Mars had the task of exploring various rocks and soils in order to detect evidence of the presence of water here.

08/12/05 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was launched, which reached the orbit of the planet 03/10/06. On board the apparatus are scientific instruments designed to detect water, ice and minerals on and below the surface. In addition, MRO will provide support for upcoming generations of space probes: daily weather is monitored on Mars and the state of its surface, a search is made for future landing sites and testing of a new telecommunication system that will accelerate communication with the Earth.

On August 6, 2012, NASA's MSL Martian Science Laboratory and the Curiosity rover landed in Gale Crater. With their help, many discoveries were made regarding local atmospheric and surface conditions, and organic particles were also discovered.

On November 18, 2013, in another attempt to find out what Mars is, the MAVEN satellite was launched, the purpose of which is to study the atmosphere and relay signals from robotic Mars rovers.

Research continues

The fourth planet from the Sun is the most studied in the solar system after the Earth. Currently, Opportunity and Curiosity stations operate on its surface, and 5 spacecraft operate in orbit - Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, MRO, MOM and Maven.

These probes managed to convey incredibly detailed images of the Red Planet. They helped to find that once there was water, and confirmed that Mars and the Earth are very similar - they have polar caps, a change of seasons, the atmosphere and the presence of water. They also showed that organic life can exist today and most likely was before.

The obsession of mankind in finding out what Mars is is not weakening, and our efforts to study its surface and unravel its history are far from over. In the coming decades, we will probably continue to send rovers there and for the first time we will send a man there. And over time, given the availability of necessary resources, the fourth planet from the Sun will someday become habitable.

Surely interesting facts about Mars  like a lot of people. It is no coincidence that from ancient times this planet caused so many discussions among pundits.

So, the most interesting facts about the mysterious are offered to your attention.

1. Many people know that the name of the planet belongs to the Romans, who named the red planet (this is the second name of Mars) after the mythical god of war. It was the color of blood that caused the ancient Romans to associate with war. There is, of course, a scientific explanation for red. Scientists suggest that this color is caused by iron oxides, which are present in large quantities in Martian soil.
2. On Mars, there are craters and canyons, mountains and valleys. An interesting fact is that Mount Olympus is the second highest in the entire solar system and is 22.5 kilometers from its base, and has a diameter of 600 km!
3. Today, life on Mars is impossible due to “specific weather conditions” ;-)! The fact is that the pressure there is extremely low, and this, as you know, is fraught with instant death of a living organism! This is an interesting fact, but too obvious, is not it?
4. If we compare the atmosphere of Mars and, then it is almost a hundred times more discharged. Although this does not prevent the formation of the Martian wind and even clouds!
5. The temperature regime on the planet Mars varies from +30 to -140.
6. The most important difference between Mars and Earth is the fact that Mars is missing. It is for this reason, when it rises on the planet, it is exposed to powerful radiation, which also excludes the possibility of life on Mars.
   
7. When Mars approaches the sun, at certain times of the year, powerful storms begin to rage there. It’s hard to imagine Martian dust storms, although some films about the end of the world give us an idea of \u200b\u200bhow this might look.
8. Mars has as many as two satellites (moons), unlike Earth. Their names are Phobos and Deimos. An unusual story is connected with this, which we described in.
   
9. Many scientists puzzle over about Mars. The fact is that only a third of the spacecraft sent there coped with their tasks. The vast majority of devices disappeared in the darkness of a mysterious planet under unexplained circumstances. Maybe there also has its own Bermuda Triangle?
10. Gravity on Mars is 62% lower than on Earth. In other words, if a person weighs 60 kilograms, then on Mars his weight would be only 22 kilograms. Well, another interesting fact: being on the red planet, the reader of this article could jump almost three times higher!
11. When the Martian winter comes, then almost twenty percent of the air simply freezes.
12. The mass of the planet Mars is almost 10 times less than that of our native Earth. The diameter is about 6800 km, which is almost two times less than the earth.

      Volcano "Olympus" on Mars

13. In 1609, the outstanding scientist astronomer and - Galileo Galilei first saw Mars through a telescope. By the way, it is still not clear how the Romans gave the name to Mars because of their god of war (see fact No. 1), if they simply could not find out that the planet is red. Visually, without special optics, it is impossible to notice. Anyway!
14. In the region of Kydonia, on the planet Mars, there is an entity called the “Face of Mars”. An amazing play of light and shadow makes the Martian hill really very much like a person's face. By the way, this space image gave rise to a huge number of fantastic rumors and fabrications of various inventors. However, this continued exactly until the scientists did a detailed photographing of this object proving its volcanic, rather than man-made origin.

      The Face of Mars in the Kydonia Region

15. The duration of the year on the red planet is 668.6 Martian days (this is the equivalent of 687 Earth days). The days themselves have a slightly longer period of time than Earth: 24 hours and 37 minutes.

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