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A Journey to the End of Time

The Solar System in 3D, in real time

A simulation of the Solar System driven by real ephemerides. The Sun, the planets, Pluto and the major moons, space probes, the International Space Station, nearby stars and the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way are where they really are at the chosen moment. You can run time from 1700 to 2100, fly from one object to another and look at the sky from anywhere on Earth.

Mars

Planet

Facts

Diameter
6792 km
Mean distance from the Sun
228.0 million km
Orbital period
687 days
Rotation
24.6 hours
Mean temperature
−65 °C
Gravity
3.7 m/s² (38% of Earth's)

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, reddish from the rusted iron in its rocks, with a thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon. The Romans named it after their god of war because its colour reminded them of blood.

The volcano Olympus Mons rises more than 40 km from base to summit, and the canyon system Valles Marineris is about 3870 km long and up to about 600 km wide. At times the wind raises dust storms that cover much of the planet.

Mars seems to have had a watery past: networks of ancient river valleys, deltas and lakebeds can be seen. NASA's rovers Curiosity and Perseverance, which is searching for signs of ancient life, are at work on the surface. It has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos, which may be asteroids captured by its gravity.

Sources