Mars

PHOTO USGS

Fast Facts:

• fourth planet from the Sun
• average distance from the Sun is 228 million km
• average temperature during the day 0 degrees Celsius
• average temperature during the night -170 degrees Celsius
• diameter at equator is 6,794km
• the number of moons is two
• length of day is 24hrs 37mins
• length of year is 687 Earth days
• atmosphere is carbon dioxide
• nearest distance to Earth is 78 million km
   

The Apollinaris Patera volcano has a patch of bright clouds hanging over its summit in the early martian afternoon. This ancient volcano is located near the equator and--based on observations from the 1970s Viking Orbiters--is thought to be as much as 5 kilometers high. The caldera--the semi-circular crater at the volcano summit--is about 80 kilometers  across. 

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems