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Mars is home to Olympus Mons, a volcano that stands about 13.6 miles (22 kilometers) high—nearly three times the height of Mount Everest. It’s the tallest volcano and the largest shield volcano known in our solar system.
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A day on Mars, called a “sol,” is just 40 minutes longer than an Earth day. This makes Mars one of the most similar planets to Earth in terms of daily cycles.
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Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. Unlike Earth’s round moon, these look more like irregularly shaped asteroids.
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A year on Mars lasts 687 Earth days because it takes nearly twice as long to orbit the Sun compared to Earth.
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Mars might look fiery red, but it’s incredibly cold, with average temperatures around -80°F (-60°C). Its thin atmosphere can’t trap heat like Earth’s, leading to extreme temperature swings.
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Despite being dry today, Mars once had flowing rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans. Scientists have found ancient riverbeds and mineral deposits that suggest Mars had water billions of years ago.
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Mars experiences massive dust storms, some of which can engulf the entire planet for weeks. These storms are powered by sunlight heating the thin atmosphere, creating winds that lift fine dust particles.
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Mars’ gravity is about 38% that of Earth. This means you’d weigh much less on Mars—about one-third of your Earth weight!
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Mars has seasons like Earth because its axis is tilted. However, they last longer because of its extended orbit around the Sun.
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On Mars, sunsets appear blue, while the daytime sky is a dusty yellowish-red. This unique effect is due to fine dust particles scattering sunlight differently.
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