The god of war Mars in the ancient Roman pantheon was considered the father of the Roman people, the guardian of fields and domestic animals, then the patron of equestrian competitions. The fourth planet from the Sun is named after him. Probably, the blood-red appearance of the planet evoked associations with war and death among the first observers. Even the satellites of the planet received the corresponding names - Phobos ("fear") and Deimos ("horror").
Red riddle
Each planet has its own mysteries, but none of them so intrigued earthlings as Mars. The unusual red appearance of the planet remained inexplicable for a long time, and it seemed interesting what the temperature is on Mars, and whether its color depends on it. It is today that every schoolchild knows that the abundant content of iron minerals in the Martian soil gives it such a color. And in the past there were some questions that the most inquisitive minds of earthlings were looking for answers to.
Cold planet
In its age, this planet is the same as the Earth and other neighborsacross the solar system. Scientists suggest that her birth occurred 4.6 billion years ago. And although not everything has yet been clarified in the history of the development of the planet, much has already been established, including the temperature on Mars.
Relatively recently, large ice deposits were discovered at the poles in both hemispheres. This is evidence that liquid water once existed on the planet. And the temperature of Mars may have been completely different. Many scientists suggest that if there is ice on the surface, then water must be preserved in the rocks. And the presence of water is proof that life once existed here.
It has been established that the atmosphere of the planet has a density 100 times less than that of the earth. But despite this, clouds and wind are formed in the layers of the Martian atmosphere. Huge dust storms sometimes rage above the surface.
What temperature on Mars is already known, and thanks to the data obtained, we can conclude that it is much colder on the red neighbor than on Earth. The coldest temperature was recorded at the poles in winter, at -125 degrees Celsius, and the highest in summer reaches +20 degrees at the equator.
How different from Earth
There are many differences between the planets, some of them quite significant. Mars is much smaller than Earth, twice. And the planet is located much farther from the Sun: the distance to the star is almost 1.5 times farther than ours.planets.
Since the mass of the planet is relatively small, the force of gravity on it is almost three times less than on Earth. On Mars, as well as on our planet, there are different seasons, but their duration is almost twice as long.
Unlike the Earth, Mars, whose average air temperature is -30…-40°C, has a very rarefied atmosphere. Its composition is dominated by carbon dioxide, which implies the absence of a greenhouse effect. Therefore, during the day, the temperature on Mars near the surface varies significantly. For example, at noon it can be -18 ° C, and in the evening - already -63 ° C. At night, the temperature was fixed at the equator and 100 degrees below zero.
