Hari’s Blog

Named for the Roman god of War, Mars probably got this name due to its red color. It is sometimes referred to as the Red Planet. The name of the month March derives from Mars. Known since prehistoric times, Mars is still a favorite of choice for human exploration. The density of Mars is about 30 percent less than that of Earth (3.94 g/cm3 vs. 5.52 g/cm3). Its core is probably similar to Earth’s, mostly iron, with small amounts of nickel, but spacecraft mapping of its gravity field seem to indicate that its iron-rich core and mantle are a smaller portion of its volume than on Earth. Also, its smaller magnetic field than Earth, indicates a solid, rather than liquid core.

Mars’ atmosphere is 95 percent carbon dioxide, nearly 3 percent nitrogen, and nearly 2 percent argon with trace quantities of oxygen, carbon monoxide, water vapor, ozone, and other trace gases.

South Pole

Valles Marineris

Mars Daily Global Image

Martian Solar Eclipses

Frost Covered Dunes	Martian Crater	View of Chimp	Western Tithonium Chasma - Ius Chasma
Cerberus	Wind Action on Martian Sand Dunes	West Candor Chasma	Liquid Water on Mars
Lander 2 Site	View from Lander 1	Lander 1 Site	View from Lander 2

Canyon and Volcanoes	Rover and Terrain	South Candor Chasma	Mars Pathfinder at Noon
Sojourner Rover	Sediment History	Schiaparelli	Pooh Bear & Mermaid Dune
MPF Color Panorama	Ophir Chasma	Shield Volcano	Enormous Volcano