Mars Monroe

Retrograde Motion Apparent backwards motion, compared to background stars.

There is no such thing as the “Super Mars” when it is in Opposition from us. Only slightly larger. Opposition is when distance is at a minimum. A conjunction is simply the close encounter on the sky of two bodies, by degrees.

Mons Olympus. Bigger than most states.

Multiple calderas

Valles Marineris

Valles Marineris. Longer than the U.S.A. is wide.

Many feel that the northern hemisphere contained an ocean. a.Slightly lower elevation b.Few impact craters, because filled in with erosion sediment

Others feel that the northern hemisphere is flattened by a late coming meteor, that obliterated all others. Some feel that the entire northern hemisphere is an old crater.

Crater that was evidently formed by meteorite impacting water surface. Crater Copernicus is formed by impacts upon dry ground.

Martian landscape shows gullies caused by flowing liquid water. The fact that there was liquid water is not really up for debate any more. These would be outflow channels, caused by huge flooding from the southern highlands to the northern plains.

Martian landscape shows gullies caused by flowing liquid water. The fact that there was liquid water is not really up for debate any more. This is a runoff channel, which is very similar to a meandering river on Earth.

Artist's concept of what the Mars rover would look like when it is on the prowl.

Moon rover taking a bite of a rock.

Martian Dust Devil. Atmosphere is thin, but dust is fine enough that it will still get picked up.

Earth's atmosphere is about 1,000 bars. Mars has about 1% of Earth's atmosphere.

Martian planetary evolution Birth ~ the pain of childbirth Infantcy ~ the tears of the young Childhood ~ possibilities Teenages ~ really…..this is it? Maturity ~ this is the life Old age ~ give me a blanket Death ~ silence in a cold, cold world

Mars and Earth probably started in about the same manner

Differentiation is when the heavier materials fall to the center, leaving lighter materials on the outside.

Earth has a strong magnetic field, because of a nickel-iron core rubbing against a liquid outer core.

Mars’ core and magnetism, David J. Stevenson This core cooled quite quickly, probably within the first few hundred million years. The cooling probably took place before life could have evolved.

Water probably showed up on Mars like it did on Earth, from outer space. No one really knows.

Martian atmosphere was removed by the solar wind, since there was no magnetic field to protect it.

The water could also be locked up in permafrost.

Phobos “fear” 20 x 28 km Deimos “panic” 10 x 16 km

Not many craters, and rolling volcanic plains, indicating that craters from early bombardment of the solar system was covered up by volcanism.

Many craters, indicating that they were beat up by the early meteor bombardment of the Solar System, and not repaired. These areas might be 4 billion years old.

A threshold phenomenon is one that is just barely detectable, that is at the limit of vision or hearing or any other sense. Nothing the experimenter can do will make the effect larger. It is likely that not everyone will be able to experience the phenomenon.

Indications of beaches and deltas indicate the shores of an ocean would have been. The volume of water estimated would have filled one, and it would have filled the lowest points, which would have been near the north pole.

Without an atmosphere, the water would have boiled away, and been lost to space. Some of the oxygen binds up with Iron to make rust.

Early bacterial life on Earth.

A meteor was blasted from the surface of Mars by an impact, and then wandered in interplanetary space until it happened to come too close to the earth, which captured it.

When Mars is on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, it is said to be at ______________________ The seasonal polar ice caps of Mars are composed of ______________________________ The southern hemisphere of Mars is consists of heavily ________________ highlands. The great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct result of _________________________________________ The fluidized ejecta surrounding Martian impact craters is evidence of a layer of _____ just under the surface. Outflow channels are the result of catastrophic __________________. Water flowed on Mars a few ___________________ years ago. Most of the carbon dioxide on Mars is now found in the planet’s __________. An extensive __________________ may once have covered the northern Martian lowlands.

When Mars is on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, it is said to be at conjunction The seasonal polar ice caps of Mars are composed of carbon dioxide The southern hemisphere of Mars is consists of heavily cratered highlands. The great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct result of low gravity (and no plate tectonics). The fluidized ejecta surrounding Martian impact craters is evidence of a layer of permafrost just under the surface. Outflow channels are the result of catastrophic ancient flooding. Water flowed on Mars a few billion years ago. Most of the carbon dioxide on Mars is now found in the planet’s ice caps. An extensive ocean may once have covered the northern Martian lowlands.