“Mars: Temperature, Atmosphere, Seasons, and Satellites”

Temperature and Atmosphere

Mars has a very thin atmosphere consisting mainly of carbon dioxide (95%) with some nitrogen, argon, oxygen and other gases. Its atmospheric pressure is about a hundred times less than Earth’s.

Mars has an extreme day-night temperature range that results from its thin atmosphere. The temperature on Mars never exceeds 20°C. Mars cannot retain any heat energy. On average, the temperature on Mars is around minus 60 degrees Celsius.

In winter, near the poles it can drop to minus 125 degrees C. Summer on Mars might be as low as 20 degrees C near the equator, but at night it can drop to minus 73 C.

Seasons on Mars

Like Earth, Mars also has four seasons because the planet is tilted on its axis. The seasons vary in length due to Mars’ eccentric orbit around the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, spring is the longest season of seven months. Summer and fall are both about six months long. Winter is only four months.

During Martian summer, the polar ice caps, which are mostly composed of carbon dioxide ice, shrink and may disappear altogether. When winter comes, the ice cap grows back.

Satellite

The following characteristics of the planet Mars can be seen from the satellite. Mars has two satellites that surround it, namely Phobos and Deimos. Both Phobos and Deimos appear to be made of carbon-rich rock mixed with ice and covered in dust and loose rock.

Both of these satellites are smaller than the moon and are irregular in shape. It is still uncertain how Phobos and Deimos were born. Because they have a similar composition to asteroids found elsewhere in the Solar System, according to NASA, most scientists believe that the Red Planet’s gravity grabbed past moons and forced them into orbit.