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During a year, there are large surface temperature swings on the surface between −78.5 °C (−109.3 °F) to 5.7 °C (42.3 °F) [c] similar to Earth's seasons, as both planets have significant axial tilt, Earth at 23.5 degrees and Mars at 25 degrees. Mars was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
Diagram showing the eastern and western quadratures of a superior planet like Mars. In spherical astronomy, quadrature is the configuration of a celestial object in which its elongation is a right angle (90 degrees), i.e., the direction of the object as viewed from Earth is perpendicular to the position of the Sun relative to Earth.
Like all planets, Mars reflects a portion of the light it receives from the sun. The fraction of sunlight reflected is a quantity called albedo, which ranges from 0 for a body that reflects no sunlight to 1.0 for a body that reflects all sunlight. Different parts of a planet's surface (and atmosphere) have different albedo values depending on ...
Theia or Orpheus, [21] a Mars-sized impactor believed to have collided with the Earth roughly 4.5 billion years ago; an event which created the Moon. Evidence from 2019 suggests that it may have originated in the outer Solar System. [22] Vulcan, a hypothetical planet once believed to exist inside the orbit of Mercury. Initially proposed as the ...
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.
The composition of Mars covers the branch of the geology of Mars that describes the make-up of the planet Mars. "Hottah" rock outcrop on Mars – ancient streambed [1] [2] [3] viewed by the Curiosity Rover (September 12, 2012, white balanced) (raw, close-up, 3-D version). Abundant iron compounds are responsible for the bright brownish-red ...
The Vicarious Hypothesis, or hypothesis vicaria, was a planetary hypothesis proposed by Johannes Kepler to describe the motion of Mars. [1] [2] [3] The hypothesis adopted the circular orbit and equant of Ptolemy's planetary model as well as the heliocentrism of the Copernican model.
In 1781, he estimated the rotation period of Mars as 24 h 39 m 21.67 s and measured the axial tilt of the planet's poles to the orbital plane as 28.5°. He noted that Mars had a "considerable but moderate atmosphere, so that its inhabitants probably enjoy a situation in many respects similar to ours".