The First Real Images Of Mars - What Have We Discovered?

Mars. For several hundred years, we have been looking at the red planet with great curiosity. The Earth-like celestial body is the fourth in the solar system and the closest neighbor of the Earth. The planet has a diameter that is only half as large as that of Earth, but its weight is only a tenth of that of the Earth. This is due to its low density and results in a relatively low attraction force. Despite its distance of at least 56 million kilometers, Mars seems to be within reach. If you would like to leave Earth with us to travel to the farthest reaches of the cosmos, then show us with a thumbs up, subscribe to Simply Space, and look forward to the videos that will be waiting for you in the future. Let's begin our journey to the mysterious Mars. In November 2011, a NASA mission called Mars Space Laboratory was launched. It is intended to investigate whether the biosphere of the red planet is suitable for living there. In the course of this mission, an autonomous rover was sent to the surface of Mars to carry out investigations, as well as taking photographs. Curiosity is equipped with a variety of devices. Among them are various instruments to analyze atmosphere and rock samples. In addition, the rover has several spectrographs and meteorological measuring instruments to collect important data, which are sent to Earth at regular intervals. Curiosity has the weight of a small car at about 900 kilograms and has been moving on the surface of the red planet for over 2,793 Sol, or Mars solar days. The landing took place on August 6, 2012, and the rover sent the first images back to Earth on the same day. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, the rover is able to take 360-degree color panoramas and transmit them in full resolution. Curiosity is also capable of making selfies, which is mainly used to assess the condition of the rover. At regular intervals, for example, photos of the tires are taken in order to detect damage and deduce how long Curiosity will still be roadworthy. While some of the photos are very similar to landscapes on Earth, other photos show unique rock formations and rock shapes. For example, at first glance, the Martian sand dunes look very similar to dunes on Earth, but the size and shape, as well as the ripples, are only found on Mars. In order to gain deeper knowledge about the planet, boreholes are drilled again and again. Thus, the rover is able to take rock samples from deeper layers of the surface and analyze them. Did you know that Mars has two moons in its orbit? Curiosity has already been able to take pictures of both celestial bodies, Phobos and Deimos. You can see the irregular rounding of the moons, which are relatively small compared to the Earth's moon. The larger of the two moons, Phobos, has an extension of only about 20 kilometers. The Olympus Mons was discovered as early as 1879 by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli. This fact alone speaks for its enormous size. In 1971, a probe was in orbit for the first time. The probe, named Mariner 9, took pictures during a sandstorm. Olympus Mons was the first object to emerge and be captured on camera. Only later was it discovered that this was a volcano. About two and a half times as high as Mount Everest, Olympus Mons rises about 22 kilometers into the air. With a diameter of about 600 kilometers, the volcano is the largest volcano known to us in our solar system. It is also one of the younger volcanoes on Mars. The origin of the giant is dated to the period of the Hesperian. The Hesperian began about 3.7 billion years ago and ended about 2 billion years ago. Strong volcanic activity determined the events on the red planet. While the atmosphere and the surface were still relatively humid and warm, the Hesperian changed the planet forever. Over the course of time, Mars slowly became the dry and cold desert planet we know today. Shield volcanoes like Olympus Mons were formed and lava flows ruled the planet, changing the weather conditions and landscapes forever. It must be remembered that unlike Earth, there are no plate tectonics on Mars. Only the strength of the lava rivers have been responsible for the formation of such giants. Of course, the attraction on Mars is much lower than on Earth. This is the only reason why it is possible for mountains and volcanoes to develop with such enormous altitude. If the gravity were the same as on our blue planet, Olympus Mons would almost certainly collapse. Whether the gigantic volcano is still active or has since ceased to exist remains to be found out. What's with the Martian face? The origin of Cydonia Mensae, a highland on Mars, has not yet been fully clarified. It is a highly complex landscape with unique rock formations. It is assumed that it is a former coastline which bordered the gigantic water surface, Acidalia Planitia. In July 1976, the Viking 1 probe took pictures of a huge rock formation. It is a 1.5 kilometer wide and almost 3 kilometer long elevation, which is estimated to be 3 million years old. The amazing thing is that the formation bears a striking resemblance to a humanoid face. A few days later, the pictures were published and made worldwide headlines. That's how the familiar name came about, Mars Face. In the immediate vicinity, other rock formations were discovered that strongly resemble pyramids. NASA wrongly called these rocks Inca City, even though the Incas never built pyramids. Mayan City would have been more appropriate. When pictures of the rock formations were taken again in 2001, they had little in common with a face. Can you still see the eyes and the mouth on the latest pictures? The low quality in 1976 and the interaction of light and shadow, as well as the tendency to recognize familiar forms, also called pareidolia, finally led to the phenomenon of the face of Mars. It is assumed that the face and pyramids were created by natural erosion. But such a discovery is predestined for pop culture and has already been a source of inspiration for numerous series and films. The face of Mars first appeared as a station for aliens in 1988 in the video game Zack McCracken. The face of Mars also plays a role in the film Mission to Mars by Brian De Palma. In the animated series Futurama, the face of Mars serves as the entrance to the world of the Martians. And even in the X-Files, the eerie cases of the FBI, a spaceman is haunted by nightmares in which the famous rock formation is present. Life on Mars The idea of life on Mars is as old as the discovery of the red planet itself. In the 17th century, the polar caps were discovered on Mars, which led to the first speculations. Over the centuries, and as technology progressed and developed, astronomers and scientists discovered more and more similarities between Earth and Mars. For example, a day on Mars, called Sol, is almost as long as a day on Earth. A year on Mars, on the other hand, is almost twice as long with 687 days. The inclination of the axis is also very similar to that of the Earth at 25.19 degrees. This leads to seasons on the red planet. In the late 19th century, observations were made with a telescope that showed channels on Mars. In books that were published afterwards, people speculated that they might be the remains of a past civilization. In the end, the observations turned out to be an optical illusion. Nevertheless, these speculations led to further ones, and in 1897, the observations served as inspiration for the author H.G. Wells' bestseller, The War of the Worlds. In 1938, the book was staged in a radio play that resembled a real reportage. This led to confusion among many listeners and was perceived by some people as an actual newscast. Today, it is clear that a higher or equal intelligent life form does not exist on the red planet. However, it is not unlikely that lower life forms such as microbes could be present. Alternatively, other forms of life such as viruses and bacteria cannot be ruled out at this time either. The thin atmosphere on Mars means that water does not exist, at least on the surface. But once upon a time, that was different. Before the Hesperian, there was a completely different atmosphere on the planet. A warm and humid environment billions of years ago might indicate that life could have once existed, but so far, there is no evidence of that. What do you think? Was there a higher form of life on Mars? Since the end of the Hesperian, both the atmosphere and the surface of Mars have remained largely unchanged. This provides perfect conditions for research. The origin of life could also be traced back to Mars. One hypothesis is that life could have originated on Mars billions of years ago and was brought to Earth by meteorites. Currently, the main searches are for water and water residues, bio and gas markers. The first manned mission to Mars could succeed on August 2nd, 2048 because that is when the red planet is closest to the Earth. But Tesla founder Elon Musk has already discovered and made manned space travel possible this year. And he did so in the private sector without having to rely on the state or politics. The pioneer even considers it possible to enter Mars within this decade. Critics are skeptical whether there will ever be a footprint in the red sand, but if there is, it would be another big step for mankind.