Mars is the forth planet from the sun. It takes Mars 687 days to orbit the sun. For many years, scientists wondered if life could exist on Mars, sometimes called the Red Planet. This planet, which is about half the size of Earth, isn’t as much like Earth as scientists previously thought.
Giant canyons and crevices mark the surface and scientists believe Mars once had lots of water. Today, though, only a little ice can be found. Scientists believe that ice lies beneath the surface.
The surface of Mars is covered with rock and red dust made from iron. Mars has huge volcanoes and craters. The temperature is very cold, but it might have been warmer a few million years ago.
Fun Facts All about Mars for Kids
- Mars is 141,633,260 miles from the Sun.
- A year lasts 687 days, almost twice as long as a year on Earth.
- One day on Mars is 24 hours and 37 minutes, almost the same length as an Earth day.
- The temperature on Mars ranges from -125 degrees to a balmy 23 degrees. Brrr!
- Huge dust storms occur on Mars. These dust storms carve the land.
- One huge canyon on Mars stretches a distance that is the same as the distance from New York to Los Angeles.
Mars Vocabulary
- Exist: to be real
- Crevice: deep crack
- Balmy: mild, warm
Check out this video all about Mars:
An animated video explaining about Mars.
Mars Q&A
Question 1: Has Mars got any moons?
Answer 1: Mars has two moons named Phobos and Deimos.
Question 2: How did Mars get its name?
Answer 2: Mars was named for the Roman god of war because of its red color.
Question 3: Is there life on Mars?
Answer 3: People have asked this question for a long time. To date we have found no life on Mars or signs of life in the past. However NASA has lots of exploring still to do and who knows what might show up in the future.
Question 4: Is Mars larger than Earth?
Answer 4: No, Our planet Earth is larger than Mars. Mars is only 53% the size of Earth.
Question 5: Can you live on Mars?
Answer 5: Mars is not suited for mankind to live on. Mars has an average temperature of minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit…..far too cold for my liking. Earth has a protective global magnetic field to protect us all from intense radiation, Mars has not got this protection so we would be exposed to high volumes of radiation and we would need spacesuits at all times when venturing outdoors.
Question 6: How long does it take to get to Mars from Earth?
Answer 6: Currently it takes Spacecraft 6 to 8 months to travel from Earth to Mars. I’m sure in time NASA will develop spacecraft to cover the trip in a much shorter time.
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