What would life be like if humans lived on Mars?

Many scientists believe that it won't be too long before humans will be able to travel to Mars and live there. If this sounds exciting to you, there are a few things you might want to know before you pack your bags and head out on the first spaceplane bound for Mars!

1)Both days and years are longer on Mars than on Earth. On Mars, you'll get an extra half hour to sleep every morning since days are about 30 minutes longer. But you'll have to wait twice as long between birthdays! Years on Mars last 687 days compared to 365 days on Earth.

2)Before you leave Earth, be sure to pack a lot of soap and laundry detergent. Mars is often called the "Red Planet" because its looks red from space. The red color comes from a fine red dust that covers the planet and gets whirled around in giant dust storms that last for months at a time. You're definitely going to get dirty there!

3)Mars has some great scenery. While you're there, be sure to visit Olympus Mons, the biggest volcano in the entire solar system. Its base is big enough to cover Montana and the entire state of Rhode Island could fit in its crater! Another scenic bonus on Mars: two moons in the nighttime sky--Phobos and Deimos.

4)Mars is cold! The average temperature is about 120^oF colder than on Earth. This is because Mars is farther from the Sun and doesn't receive as much solar heat as Earth. This extra distance will also make the Sun appear much smaller in the sky than it does from Earth. But don't let the smaller-looking Sun and cold temperatures fool you. Mars' atmosphere does not contain ozone (which protects us from the Sun) so you're much more likely to be severely sunburned on Mars than on Earth. Take a serious sunscreen with you--like SPF 1000!!

The cold temperatures might also cause you to think that the white flakes falling from the sky are snowflakes. But they're actually crystals of frozen carbon dioxide (also known as "dry ice"). In fact, Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, so I guess you'll want to take along plenty of oxygen, too!

What would life be like if humans lived on Mars?

Many scientists believe that in the near future, humans may be able to leave Earth to live on Mars. If you decide that you might like to be among those to take part in this great adventure, there are a few things you might want to know . . .

1)On Mars, you'll get extra time in the day to do the things you want to do--like sleep in! Martian days are about half an hour longer than Earth days. But that's nothing compared to the extra time you'll get in a year--687 days versus only 365 days on Earth.

2)Before you leave Earth, be sure to pack a lot of soap and laundry detergent. The "Red Planet" gets its nickname for the fine, red dust that covers Mars' surface. It wouldn't be so bad if the dust just settled on the ground, then only your shoes would get ruined. The problem is that frequent and intense dust storms big enough to cover the entire planet can throw dust up to 25 miles into the air and last for months at a time--you're definitely going to get dirty!

3)Mars has some great scenery! While you're there, be sure to check out the volcano, Olympus Mons, the biggest mountain in the entire solar system. Its base is large enough to cover the entire state of Montana and Rhode Island could fit comfortably in its crater! It is thought that some of Mars' giant canyons and other surface features were formed from water flowing over the surface a long time ago when Mars was much warmer and may have supported life. Another bonus of Martian scenery: two moons in the nighttime sky--Phobos and Deimos.

4)Because Mars is located farther from the Sun than Earth, it will be a lot colder there. The average temperature on Mars is -63^oF. That's about 120^oF colder than on Earth! The extra distance will also make the Sun look much smaller in the sky than it does from Earth. But don't let the smaller-looking Sun and cold temperatures fool you! Mars lacks the protective ozone layer we have in Earth's atmosphere, so you're much more likely to be severely sunburned there. So take some serious sunscreen--like SPF 1000!!

Mars' cold temperatures might also cause you to think that the white flakes you see falling down around you and on the mountain tops are snowflakes, but they're actually crystals of frozen carbon dioxide (also known as "dry ice"). If fact, the Martian atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, so I guess you'll want to pack plenty of oxygen too!

What would life be like if humans lived on Mars?

Many scientists believe that in the not-too-distant future, humans will be able to leave planet Earth to begin colonizing Mars. If you think you might like to be among the wanderlusts who will choose to embark on such a grand adventure, there are a couple of things you might want to know . . .

For one thing, on Mars you'll finally get that extra time in a day you've always wished for! Martian days are about half an hour longer than Earth days. But that's nothing compared to the extra time you'll get in a year--687 days versus only 365 days on Earth.

Second, you'll probably want to take along a lot of soap and laundry detergent. The "Red Planet" gets its nickname for the fine, red dust that covers Mars' surface. The red color comes from oxidized iron (rust) in the soil. It might not be so bad if the dust just settled on the ground, then only your shoes would get stained. The problem is that frequent and intense dust storms big enough to cover the entire planet can throw dust up to 25 miles into the air and last for months at a time--you're definitely going to get dirty!

Third, Mars has lots of big mountains, volcanoes, and canyons you'll want to visit. It is thought that some of these enormous canyons and gorges were formed from water flowing over the surface a long time ago when the planet was much warmer and may have supported life. While you're there, be sure to check out the volcano, Olympus Mons, the biggest mountain in the entire solar system. Its base is large enough to cover the entire state of Montana with Rhode Island nestled comfortably in its crater! Another bonus of Martian scenery: two moons in the nighttime sky--Phobos and Deimos.

Fourth, because Mars is located farther from the Sun than Earth, it will be a lot colder there. The average temperature on Mars is -63^oF. That's about 120^oF colder than on Earth! The extra distance from the Sun will also make the Sun look much smaller than it does from Earth. But don't let the smaller Sun and cold temperatures fool you. Because Mars lacks the protective ozone layer we have in Earth's atmosphere, you're much more likely to be severely sunburned there. So take some serious sunscreen--like SPF 1000!!

Mars' cold temperatures might also cause you to think that the white flakes you see falling down around you and on the mountain tops are snowflakes, but they're actually crystals of frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice. If fact, the Martian atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, so I guess you'll want to pack plenty of oxygen too!

Last modified prior to September, 2000 by the Windows Team

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