Junior Times
Travel Guide to the Solar System - Thinking of where to spend your summer holidays? Imagine if you could travel through space and visit other planets. Here are some facts to help you on your journey!
Destination: Mars.
Definition: Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, just past Earth. It is often called the ‘Red Planet’ due to its vivid colour.
Reasons to Visit: See the longest ever canyon system. Visit the Solar System’s largest volcano - over 50 times bigger than those on Earth. Decide for yourself whether the Red Planet once contained life.
Number of Moons: 2 - Deimos and Phobos.
What to See: Mars has some of the most spectacular scenery in the Solar System. Visit the giant canyon stretching over 5,000 km along the equator with an average depth of 6km. Climb the largest volcano reaching 27km high and 700km across. But, don’t be afraid, the volcano is now extinct so you will be safe. There are other volcanoes which are still active so do take care where you park!
Journey Time: 5.25 Earth months (so you may be late back to school after the holidays!) and if you want to call back home, remember that the time lag is 25.4minutes, so your conversation could take some time!
Mars can often be spotted from Earth and the best time to see it during the 70 days of its two year orbit when it reverses direction across the sky and comes to its closest point to Earth.
We recommend a summer visit when the temperature can reach a pleasant 27degrees C, but keep an eye on the weather forecast! Storms can sweep across the whole planet. Within days the temperature can plummet by 20 degrees. Travellers in the winter months should note that Mars can reach a bitter -87degrees C. One final word of warning - make sure you are prepared for dust storms. Tornadoes as large as 8km high have been seen causing havoc across the Martian landscape.
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