Changes

|rotatespeed=465.11 m/s

|rotatespeed=465.11 m/s

|axialtilt=25.19°<ref name=marsfact/>

|axialtilt=25.19°<ref name=marsfact/>

|mass=6.4185 * 10²³ kg<ref name=marsfact/>

|mass=6.4185 × 10²³ kg<ref name=marsfact/>

|density=3,933 kg/m³<ref name=marsfact/>

|density=3,933 kg/m³<ref name=marsfact/>

|surfacegrav=3.71 m/s²<ref name=marsfact/>

|surfacegrav=3.71 m/s²<ref name=marsfact/>

|color=Red

|color=Red

|albedo=0.15<ref name=marsfact/>

|albedo=0.15<ref name=marsfact/>

|pmdm=2.1 * 10¹⁸ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/21/21_3/21_3.html The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed April 29, 2008.</ref>

|pmdm=2.1 × 10¹⁸ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys>Humphreys, D. R. "[http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/21/21_3/21_3.html The Creation of Planetary Magnetic Fields]." ''[[Creation Research Society Quarterly]]'' 21(3), December 1984. Accessed April 29, 2008.</ref>

|cmdm=1.51 * 10²³ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys/>

|cmdm=1.51 × 10²³ N-m/T<ref name=Humphreys/>

|mdt=535 a<ref name=Humphreys/>

|mdt=535 a<ref name=Humphreys/>

|mhl=370.83 a<ref name=calc>Calculated</ref>

|mhl=370.83 a<ref name=calc>Calculated</ref>

== Orbital characteristics ==

== Orbital characteristics ==

Mars is in a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun and maintains an average distance slightly more than 1.5 AU. The synodic period of Mars is roughly 26 months. This fact makes Mars a particularly difficult object to explore, because opportunities to launch a rocket probe to Mars occur so far apart in time.

Mars is in a highly [[ellipse|elliptical]] [[orbit]] around the Sun and maintains an average distance slightly more than 1.5 AU. The synodic period of Mars is roughly 26 months. This fact makes Mars a particularly difficult object to explore, because opportunities to launch a rocket probe to Mars occur so far apart in time.

== Rotational characteristics ==

== Rotational characteristics ==

== Physical characteristics ==

== Physical characteristics ==

Mars is half the size of Earth and has about 11% of earth's mass. The large proportion of [[iron]] in Mars' clay-like topsoil gives Mars its distinctive color.

Mars is half the size of Earth and has about 11% of earth's mass. The large proportion of [[iron]] in Mars' clay-like topsoil gives Mars its distinctive red color.

The weather on Mars is seasonal, on account of Mars's axial inclination. Yet because Mars's orbit is so eccentric, "summer" and "winter" on the northern and southern hemispheres can vary greatly. Temperatures vary from 140 K to 300 K, with an average temperature of 210 K. (The freezing point of [[water]] is 273.15 K.)

The weather on Mars is seasonal, on account of Mars's axial inclination. Yet because Mars's orbit is so eccentric, "summer" and "winter" on the northern and southern hemispheres can vary greatly. Temperatures vary from 140 K to 300 K, with an average temperature of 210 K. (The freezing point of [[water]] is 273.15 K.)

=== Magnetosphere ===

=== Magnetosphere ===

Mars has a very weak magnetic field. Data from various missions has established an upper limit of 2.1 * 10¹⁸ N-m/T on the [[magnetic dipole moment]] of Mars. According to [[Russell Humphreys]]'s model of the creation of magnetic fields, Mars probably had a magnetic dipole moment ''at creation'' of 1.51 * 10²³ N-m/T. Thus Mars's magnetic field has been decaying very rapidly. This tremendous decay, and the presence on [[Mercury]] of a magnetic field of significant strength, baffles [[astronomy|astronomers]] who have assumed that magnetic fields form on rapidly moving planets that have conductive and liquid cores that can act as dynamos. In fact, Humphreys asserts that the characteristic that determines which of the [[Terrestrial Planet|terrestrial planets]] will have a persistent magnetic field is the core radius, and that the cores of all four of these planets have similar conductivities. Mercury and Earth have larger cores than do Mars and Venus. The lengths of the sidereal days on those worlds do not matter.<ref name=Humphreys/>

Mars has a very weak magnetic field. Data from various missions has established an upper limit of 2.1 × 10¹⁸ N-m/T on the [[magnetic dipole moment]] of Mars. According to [[Russell Humphreys]]'s model of the creation of magnetic fields, Mars probably had a magnetic dipole moment ''at creation'' of 1.51 × 10²³ N-m/T. Thus Mars's magnetic field has been decaying very rapidly. This tremendous decay, and the presence on [[Mercury]] of a [[magnetic field]] of significant strength, baffles [[astronomer]]s who have assumed that magnetic fields form on rapidly moving planets that have conductive and liquid cores that can act as dynamos. In fact, Humphreys asserts that the characteristic that determines which of the [[Terrestrial Planet|terrestrial planets]] will have a persistent magnetic field is the core radius, and that the cores of all four of these planets have similar conductivities. Mercury and Earth have larger cores than do Mars and Venus. The lengths of the sidereal days on those worlds do not matter.<ref name=Humphreys/>

=== Geology ===

=== Geology ===

[[Image:MarsTopoMap-PIA02031 modest.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Topographic map of Mars.]]

[[Image:MarsTopoMap-PIA02031 modest.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Topographic map of Mars.]]

There is a dichotomy on the surface of Mars; the northern hemisphere consists of low-lying volcanic plains, with the southern hemisphere consists of ancient, heavily-cratered highland plains. Mars also has two volcanic regions: Tharsis and Elysium. Within the Tharsis region is the largest volcano in the solar system, [[Olympus Mons]]. Olympus Mons is approximately 500&nbsp;km across and is about the same size as the state of Arizona. Its peak is 24&nbsp;km above the surrounding plains and it is surrounded by a vertical scarp 6&nbsp;km high. A large canyon system, Valles Marineris, is located along the Martian equator east of the Tharsis region. Valles Marineris is 2–6&nbsp;km deep and 200–600&nbsp;km wide and approximately 4,500&nbsp;km long (approximately the distance from San Francisco to Boston). The eastern part of Valles Marineris appears to have a tectonic origin, but the western part is characterized by features such as teardrop islands and longitudinal grooves, indicating it may have been formed by catastrophic flooding in the past. Such flooding may be possible under current climate conditions. Run-off channels in the cratered highland indicate a thicker atmosphere or warmer climate in the past that would have allowed water to be stable on the surface.

There is a dichotomy on the surface of Mars; the northern hemisphere consists of low-lying volcanic plains, with the southern hemisphere consists of ancient, heavily-cratered highland plains. Mars also has two volcanic regions: Tharsis and Elysium. Within the Tharsis region is the largest volcano in the solar system, [[Olympus Mons]]. Olympus Mons is approximately 500&nbsp;km across and is about the same size as the state of [[Arizona]]. Its peak is 24&nbsp;km above the surrounding plains and it is surrounded by a vertical scarp 6&nbsp;km high. A large canyon system, Valles Marineris, is located along the Martian equator east of the Tharsis region. Valles Marineris is 2–6&nbsp;km deep and 200–600&nbsp;km wide and approximately 4,500&nbsp;km long (approximately the distance from San Francisco to Boston). The eastern part of Valles Marineris appears to have a tectonic origin, but the western part is characterized by features such as teardrop islands and longitudinal grooves, indicating it may have been formed by catastrophic flooding in the past. Such flooding may be possible under current climate conditions. Run-off channels in the cratered highland indicate a thicker atmosphere or warmer climate in the past that would have allowed water to be stable on the surface.

Recent satellite imagery has shown that Mars has a 3 kilometre deep ice cap around its polar regions. The northern polar region is surrounded by [[dune]] fields. During the Martian winter, a layer of carbon dioxide condenses at the poles and sublimates in the summer, leaving the water-ice and dust polar caps exposed. The ratio of dust to water-ice contained in the polar caps remains unknown.  

Recent satellite imagery has shown that Mars has a 3 kilometre deep ice cap around its polar regions. The northern polar region is surrounded by [[dune]] fields. During the Martian winter, a layer of carbon dioxide condenses at the poles and sublimates in the summer, leaving the water-ice and dust polar caps exposed. The ratio of dust to water-ice contained in the polar caps remains unknown.  

Current speculation concerns the possible finding of [[microbe]]s. These would be [[extremophile]]s, or microbes that survive and even grow in environments lethal to other forms of life. Direct attempts to find such life began in 1976 with the [[Viking 1]] and [[Viking 2]] landers. To date no positive sign of life on Mars has been found. The Viking landers found evidence of unexplained chemical activity, but no clear evidence of microbes. Whether the Viking landers would have been able to detect extremophiles, a concept unknown to the Viking mission planners, is unclear.<ref name=Hamilton/>

Current speculation concerns the possible finding of [[microbe]]s. These would be [[extremophile]]s, or microbes that survive and even grow in environments lethal to other forms of life. Direct attempts to find such life began in 1976 with the [[Viking 1]] and [[Viking 2]] landers. To date no positive sign of life on Mars has been found. The Viking landers found evidence of unexplained chemical activity, but no clear evidence of microbes. Whether the Viking landers would have been able to detect extremophiles, a concept unknown to the Viking mission planners, is unclear.<ref name=Hamilton/>

The [[astrobiology|astrobiologists]] involved with [[Project Viking]] suspect that Mars might be an inherently inhospitable environment for life. Ultraviolet light from the sun shines unchecked on Mars, on account of Mars' thin atmosphere and weak magnetic field. The soil of Mars is also very dry, and the soil has a high proportion of oxidizing agents.<ref name=Hamilton/>

The [[astrobiology|astrobiologists]] involved with [[Project Viking]] suspect that Mars might be an inherently inhospitable environment for life. Ultraviolet light from the sun shines unchecked on Mars, on account of Mars' thin atmosphere and weak magnetic field. The soil of Mars is also very dry, and the soil has a high proportion of [[oxidizing agents]].<ref name=Hamilton/>

== Problem for uniformitarian theories ==

== Problem for uniformitarian theories ==