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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun.The surface of Mars is orange-red because it is covered in iron(III) oxide dust, giving it the nickname "the Red Planet". [22] [23] Mars is among the brightest objects in Earth's sky, and its high-contrast albedo features have made it a common subject for telescope viewing.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Mars: Mars – fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury. Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the "Red Planet" [1] [2] because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance.
List of craters on Mars; List of mountains on Mars; List of rocks on Mars; List of valles on Mars; List of chasmata on Mars; List of plains on Mars; List of terrae on Mars; List of areas of chaos terrain on Mars; List of surface features of Mars seen by the Spirit rover; List of surface features of Mars seen by the Opportunity rover; see also ...
A solar storm hit Mars after the sun unleashed a massive flare in May. ... which can be seen in the images, are the result of charged particles hitting Curiosity’s cameras, according to NASA ...
Averaging 7–10 km above datum (Martian "sea" level), Tharsis contains the highest elevations on the planet and the largest known volcanoes in the Solar System. Three enormous volcanoes, Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons (collectively known as the Tharsis Montes), sit aligned NE-SW along the crest of the bulge.
The dark features were thought to be seas, hence their names Mare Erythraeum, Mare Sirenum and Aurorae Sinus. The largest dark feature seen from Earth is Syrtis Major Planum. The shield volcano, Olympus Mons (Mount Olympus), rises 22 km above the surrounding volcanic plains, and is the highest known mountain on any planet in the solar system. [10]
Many martian dunes strongly resemble terrestrial dunes but images acquired by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have shown that martian dunes in the north polar region are subject to modification via grainflow triggered by seasonal CO 2 sublimation, a process not seen on Earth. [12]
Coloring of the base map indicates relative elevations, based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor. Whites and browns indicate the highest elevations ( +12 to +8 km ); followed by pinks and reds ( +8 to +3 km ); yellow is 0 km ; greens and blues are lower elevations (down to −8 km ).