What is the proof that life exists on Mars?
ARKA, AGE 12, KOLKATA, INDIA Answer:One of the main bits of evidence that life has existed on Mars came from a meteorite that was found in the Antarctic. The meteorite came from Mars many years ago when a rock smashed into the surface and sent the rock flying off into space. Eventually it landed here on Earth. Inside the rock we found tiny little things that are the result of some sort of very simple life. We do not know if life still exists on Mars but if it does it will be very simple life deep under the surface. I have done a volcano/Olympus Mons project and I was wondering what the correct answer was for how many days there are in Mars in a year.
JADE Answer: A Martian year is equal to 687 Earth Days. That makes the year on Mars about twice as long as a year on Earth. I know a year on Mars lasts 687 Earth days but why does it last that long when its days are only 24 hours and 37 minutes?
RACHEL, AGE 12, TWICKENHAM Answer: The length of a day is fixed by the time it takes a planet to spin once on its axis. The length of the year is the time it takes for the planet to go around the Sun. There is no real relationship between the two. Why has Olympus Mons been able to 'grow' so much bigger then any volcano on earth?
SAL, AGE 12, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN Answer: One of the main reasons volcanoes on Mars are bigger than ours here on Earth is that the gravity on Mars is less. Gravity is the force that holds us and everything else on the surface of the Earth. If the gravity were stronger on Earth then we would all be pulled harder against the surface. The pull of gravity on Mars is weaker than it is on Earth so things are not pulled toward the surface so strongly. Itβs because of this that Olympus Mons could grow so big. 
Ice on Mars
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How long does it take for a day in Mars?
FINLAY, AGED 8, TEMPLE EWELL
Answer: A day on Mars is 24 hours and 37 minutes, a little longer than a day on Earth. Does Mars have ice on the inside or outside?
NICHOLAS, AGE 10, ALEXANDRA HILLS Answer: When we look at Mars through a telescope we can see white spots on the top and bottom. They are actually areas where ice has formed around Mars' North and South pole. How many moons does Mars have?
MATIAS, AGE 9 Answer: Mars, the fourth planet in the Solar System has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. Neither of them are as big as our Moon though. How long does a year last on Mars?
NATHAN, AGE 13, BICESTER Answer: One year on Mars is equal to 687 Earth days, making the Martian year nearly twice as long as ours. Why do we never see Mars?
DANIEL, AGE 11, CRINGLEFORD Answer: We do get to see Mars quite often. We will be able to see it again clearly in the evening sky later this year during the end of Summer 2005. I know that Mars has an atmosphere, but, if air is put in it, will it stay in the planet, or is that a film fantasy?
JAVIER, MANCHESTER Answer: Mars is only about half the size of the Earth and its gravity isn't as strong. If we did manage to make the atmosphere suitable for us to live there, we would have to ensure that it was kept topped up. The gravity of Mars is not strong enough to hold on to an atmosphere that we would need to survive. It would be possible however to make special buildings that would stop the atmosphere from escaping which we could live in along with plants and animals. 
Mars is known as the red planet |
A meteor was found on Earth that came from Mars. How do you know where it came from?
JESQ STUART, AGE 15 Answer: In the 1970s the Viking spacecraft landed on Mars. When it was there, it measured the types and mixture of gas in the atmosphere. The meteorite that was found had tiny pockets of gas trapped inside it. On checking the types and mixture of gasses in the pockets of gas, we found that it was exactly the same as the Viking spacecraft had measured on Mars. We have not found this mixture anywhere else. How many days are in a year on Mars?
LIZ H, AGE 10 Answer: One year on Mars is equal to 780 Earth days. How long does it take Mars to go round the sun?
ANASTASIA, AGE 9 Answer: Mars takes 687 days to go around the Sun. That's a little less than 2 years. Wouldn't a thicker Martian atmosphere escape into space because of mars' weaker gravity?
SARISHA, AGE 14 Answer: Because Mars has about one third of the gravity that the Earth has then yes, a thicker Martian atmosphere would escape into space. It would take many millions of years for this to happen but it is why Mars does not have a thick atmosphere today. If we were to try to set-up a permanent home on Mars we would have to use some kind of building that would contain the atmosphere and stop it escaping into space. What is Mars' distance from the sun, how many days does it take to complete one orbit and how many earth days does it take to rotate once on its axis?
ADAM, AGE 14 Answer: Like all of the planets in the solar system, they all have an elliptical orbit around the Sun. The shape of an elliptical orbit is similar to the shape of a squashed circle. Because of the elliptical orbit, the distance from Mars to the Sun varies over its year. We can work out that on average, Mars is 228 million km away from the Sun and it takes a little under 687 Earth days to complete one orbit. Spinning once on its axis takes Mars 24 hours, 37 minutes and 23 seconds. Read more: Planet Mars Β» Got a question? Send them to us here Β» | 
