Mars: the Red Planet


By: Mary Beth Wallace 6th period

Mars, a red, dusty planet is the fourth planet from the Sun, being 1.52 AU away from it. Its orbit is about twice as long as Earth's being 687 days long. Its rotation is 24 hours on a 1.85 degree tilt.

Mars is a relatively medium sized planet, at 13,233 miles in diameter. It has two moons.

Mar has two small moons named Phobos and Deimos. Phobos and Deimos are not round like our Moon. They are much smaller and have irregular shapes. They were discovered in 1877.

Mars composition is similar to Earth in its basic composition. It has a core that is mainly iron and sulfur, all of which is wrapped by a crust that is made of basalt and just enough iron oxide to give the planet it characteristic reddish hue.

MARS FACTS

• If you weighed 150lbs on Earth, you'll weigh 57 on Mars
• Temperature range: -125 to 23 degrees
• The atmosphere is composed mainly of carbon dioxide

Mars has the biggest mountain in our solar system, which is actually a dormant volcano, called Olympus Mons.

Come visit us, you'll have a wonderful time in the warm climate of Mars! Seeing the biggest mountain in the solar system is something you'll never forget!