Jupiter - The Largest Planet in the Solar System
2024.12.19
Basic Information
- Type: Terrestrial Planet
- Position in the Solar System: 4th planet from the Sun
- Distance from the Sun: Approximately 227.9 million kilometers (141.6 million miles).
- Diameter: 6,779 kilometers (4,212 miles), about half the size of Earth.
- Mass: 0.107 times the mass of Earth.
- Day Length: 24 hours and 37 minutes (a "sol").
- Year Length: 687 Earth days.
Physical Characteristics
- Surface: Mars is known for its reddish appearance, caused by iron oxide (rust) on its surface.
- Atmosphere: Thin atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide (95.3%), with traces of nitrogen and argon.
- Temperature: Surface temperatures range from -125°C (-195°F) at the poles during winter to 20°C (68°F) near the equator during summer.
- Gravity: Mars has about 38% of Earth's gravity, meaning you would weigh less than half of what you do on Earth.
Geological Features
- Olympus Mons: The largest volcano in the Solar System, standing at 21.9 kilometers (13.6 miles) tall.
- Valles Marineris: A massive canyon system stretching over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles), about 10 times the length of the Grand Canyon.
- Polar Ice Caps: Mars has ice caps at both poles made of water ice and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide).
Moons
- Mars has two small, irregularly shaped moons:
- Phobos: The larger and closer moon, slowly spiraling toward Mars and expected to crash into the planet or break apart in about 50 million years.
- Deimos: The smaller and more distant moon, with a smoother surface.
Exploration
- Mars has been a major focus of space exploration, with numerous missions studying its surface, atmosphere, and potential for life.
- Notable Missions:
- Mariner 4: The first spacecraft to fly by Mars (1965).
- Viking 1 and 2: The first successful landers on Mars (1976).
- Curiosity Rover: A car-sized rover exploring Gale Crater since 2012.
- Perseverance Rover: Landed in 2021, tasked with searching for signs of ancient life and collecting samples for a future return mission.
- Ingenuity Helicopter: The first powered flight on another planet, accompanying Perseverance.
Interesting Facts
- Water on Mars: Evidence of ancient river valleys, lake beds, and minerals that form in water suggests Mars once had liquid water on its surface.
- Dust Storms: Mars experiences the largest dust storms in the Solar System, sometimes covering the entire planet for weeks.
- Potential for Life: Mars is a prime candidate for the search for extraterrestrial life due to its past habitability and the presence of water ice.
How to Observe Mars
- Naked Eye: Mars is visible to the naked eye as a bright, reddish point of light in the night sky.
- Best Time to View: During opposition, when Mars is closest to Earth and fully illuminated by the Sun.
- Telescope: A telescope can reveal surface features like polar ice caps and dark markings.
Personal Note
The reddish glow barely visible in the bright light is the only distinctive feature of Mars that was captured with the telescope.
The above image was captured on the 10th of January 2025, the fourth day of Mars going retrograde. The lack of a glaze filter still resulted the image to more bright than clear.
