What would life be like if humans lived on Mars?

Many scientists believe that in the near future, humans may be able to leave Earth to live on Mars. If you decide that you might like to be among those to take part in this great adventure, there are a few things you might want to know . . .

1)On Mars, you'll get extra time in the day to do the things you want to do--like sleep in! Martian days are about half an hour longer than Earth days. But that's nothing compared to the extra time you'll get in a year--687 days versus only 365 days on Earth.

2)Before you leave Earth, be sure to pack a lot of soap and laundry detergent. The "Red Planet" gets its nickname for the fine, red dust that covers Mars' surface. It wouldn't be so bad if the dust just settled on the ground, then only your shoes would get ruined. The problem is that frequent and intense dust storms big enough to cover the entire planet can throw dust up to 25 miles into the air and last for months at a time--you're definitely going to get dirty!

3)Mars has some great scenery! While you're there, be sure to check out the volcano, Olympus Mons, the biggest mountain in the entire solar system. Its base is large enough to cover the entire state of Montana and Rhode Island could fit comfortably in its crater! It is thought that some of Mars' giant canyons and other surface features were formed from water flowing over the surface a long time ago when Mars was much warmer and may have supported life. Another bonus of Martian scenery: two moons in the nighttime sky--Phobos and Deimos.

4)Because Mars is located farther from the Sun than Earth, it will be a lot colder there. The average temperature on Mars is -63oF. That's about 120oF colder than on Earth! The extra distance will also make the Sun look much smaller in the sky than it does from Earth. But don't let the smaller-looking Sun and cold temperatures fool you! Mars lacks the protective ozone layer we have in Earth's atmosphere, so you're much more likely to be severely sunburned there. So take some serious sunscreen--like SPF 1000!!

Mars' cold temperatures might also cause you to think that the white flakes you see falling down around you and on the mountain tops are snowflakes, but they're actually crystals of frozen carbon dioxide (also known as "dry ice"). If fact, the Martian atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, so I guess you'll want to pack plenty of oxygen too!


Submitted by Sarah (Ontario, Canada)
(September 29, 1997)



You might also be interested in:

What are the retrograde motions of planets in the sky?

It depends on which type of motion you are asking about. If you take a birds-eye view from the top of the solar system all the planets orbit around the Sun in a counter-clockwise (or direct) direction....more

How do Astronauts Live in Space?

Almost everyone has a question or two about living in space. What do astronauts do in space? How do they do everyday things like eat, sleep and go to the bathroom? It's important to note that astronauts...more

How far is the Earth from the Sun, the Moon and all the other planets? How far are all of the planets from the Sun? Do you know of a software that tracks the planets in real-time?

There is a really neat internet program called Solar System Live that shows the position of all of the planets and the Sun for any given day. If you go to that page, you'll see an image similar to the...more

Is it really true that man never really walked on the Moon?

The picture of the American Flag (the one put there by the Apollo astronauts) is waving (or straight out) in the wind. How could that be possible if there is no atmosphere on the Moon? Was it some sort...more

How many planets orbit the sun?

I was wondering if there is a new planet? Are there planets (a tenth planet?) after Pluto belonging to our solar system? What are the names of the new planets discovered in the solar system? Are there...more

According to Stephen Hawking, any object with an energy which equals Plank's energy has to become a black hole.

If that is so, the energy released during the Big Bang must have created many such black holes. Therefore most of the Energy of the Big bang must have disappeared in that form. Then how did the Universe...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA