Mars_Texbook_Part

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun, known for its red color due to iron oxide, with seasons, polar ice caps, and evidence of past water.

Meteorite

A solid fragment of material that has fallen to the Earth's surface from space, including those from Mars.

Valles Marineris

A massive canyon system on Mars that is about 5000 km long, nearly a quarter of the way around the planet.

Olympus Mons

The largest volcano in the solar system located on Mars, towering more than 20 km high.

Tharsis Bulge

An uplifted volcanic region on Mars containing the four largest volcanoes, including Olympus Mons.

Mars Rover

Robotic vehicles designed to explore the surface of Mars, with notable examples including Curiosity and Perseverance.

Pathfinder

The first wheeled, solar-powered rover to land on Mars, which touched down on July 4, 1997.

Curiosity

A Mars rover launched by NASA, aimed at investigating the planet's climate and geology, and assessing past habitability.

Phoenix Lander

A spacecraft that landed near the Martian north polar cap and measured water ice in the soil.

Gale Crater

A location on Mars where the Curiosity rover landed, selected for its complex geology and evidence of past water.

Fossil Microbes

Remnants of ancient microbial life that could provide evidence of past life on Mars.

Polar Caps

The ice-covered regions at the north and south poles of Mars, composed of water ice and dry ice.

Saline Water

Water with a high salt content that allows it to remain in liquid form under freezing temperatures.

Dust Devils

Whirling winds that lift dust from the Martian surface, playing a significant role in shaping the landscape.

Recurring Slope Lineae

Dark streaks on Mars that appear to change with the seasons, thought to be related to intermittent water flow.

Impact Craters

Depressions on the surface caused by collisions with meteoroids, a common feature observed on Mars.

Mars Global Surveyor

A spacecraft that provided a comprehensive mapping of Mars's surface and detailed topographic measurements.

Terraforming

The hypothetical process of altering Mars's environment to make it habitable for humans.

Organic Compounds

Carbon-based molecules that provide evidence for the possibility of life on Mars in its past.