In our solar system, Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. It has a thin atmosphere, no oceans and colder temperatures than Earth. Despite these differences, there are many similarities between Earth and Mars. For example, both planets have rocky surfaces and rotate on their axes. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key differences between Earth and Mars. We’ll also discuss how human beings might be able to live on Mars in the future.
What is Earth?
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. It is the only planet on which life is known to exist. Earth’s atmosphere consists of 21 percent oxygen, 78 percent nitrogen, and trace amounts of other gases. The average temperature on Earth is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Earth’s surface is divided into several distinct biomes, including deserts, forests, grasslands, and tundras. The average lifespan of an Earthling is about 70 years.
What is Mars?
- Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, being only larger than Mercury. In English, Mars carries a name of the Roman god of war, and is often referred to as the “Red Planet” because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance.
- Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. It is the site of Olympus Mons, the second highest known mountain within the Solar System (after Mount Everest), and of Valles Marineris, one of the largest canyons in the Solar System.
- Mars has two moons: Phobos and Deimos. These may be captured asteroids, similar to 5261 Eureka, a Mars trojan. Mars orbits the Sun at an average distance of 227 million km (141 million mi), making it approximately 1.5 times as far from the Sun as Earth. Mars is presently host to three functional spacecraft: Mars Odyssey orbiter (2001), Mars Express orbiter (2003) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005).
Differences between Earth and Mars
- Earth and Mars are both rocky planets with atmospheres, but there are many significant differences between them. For one thing, Earth is much larger than Mars, with a diameter of almost 12,700 kilometers compared to Mars’ diameter of just under 6,800 kilometers.
- Earth also has a much thicker atmosphere, which helps to protect us from harmful radiation and makes Earth a more hospitable place for life. The surface of Mars is also rougher than Earth’s surface, with huge mountains and canyons carved into the rocks by centuries of wind and water erosion.
- Finally, Earth has liquid water on its surface while Mars does not. This is thought to be due to Mars’ lower gravity, which prevents water from staying on the planet’s surface. Although they share some similarities, Earth and Mars are very different planets.
Conclusion
Mars is a fascinating place, and it’s exciting to think about what could be learned by studying it more. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the planet that we need to answer before any kind of manned mission can take place. There are also many practical considerations that need to be taken into account before such a mission could even be planned, let alone executed. In the meantime, scientists will continue to study Mars from Earth, and hopefully we’ll learn enough in the next few years to make a manned mission possible.
