Mars Facts:



 
Mean Distance from Sun:                 227.9 million kilometers
 
Inclination of Orbit to Ecliptic:       1.9 degrees
 
Eccentricity of Orbit:                  0.093
 
Period of Revolution (Year):            687 days
 
Rotation Period (Day):                  24 hours, 37 minutes
 
Inclination of Axis:                    25 degrees and 12 minutes
 
Equatorial Diameter:                    6,794 kilometers
 
Planet Volume:                          1.63 x 10^22 cubic meters (m^3)
 
Planet Mean Density:                    3.93 grams per cubic centimeter (g cm^-3)
 
Mean Surface Gravity:                   3.72 meters per second
 
Gravity as Compared to Earth:           0.38 (where Earth gravity = 1)
 
Atmosphere (Main Components):           Carbon Dioxide:         95.3%
                                        Nitrogen:                2.7%
                                        Argon:                   1.6%
			                Oxygen:	                 0.1%
 
Average Atmospheric Pressure:           6.5 millibars (Earth is approx 1 bar)

Two Moons:                              Phobos (13.3 by 11.1 by 9.3 km elliptical moon)
                                        Deimos (7.6 by 6.2 by 5.4 km elliptical moon)
 
 

Sources:

Hugh H. Kieffer, Bruce M. Jakosky, and Conway W. Snyder, "The Planet Mars: From Antiquity to the Present," in H.H. Kieffer et al., Mars, pp. 1 - 33, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1992.

"Charting the Planets," NASA Educational Brief EB-112, May 1993.


TES 1993-1994 Curriculum Guide / K.S. Edgett /edgett@elvis.mars.asu.edu