If you are going to spend a vacation on another planet, then it is important to find out about possible climate changes :) But seriously, many people know that most planets in our solar system extreme temperatures unsuitable for quiet living. But what exactly are the temperatures on the surface of these planets? Below I offer a short overview of the temperatures of the planets of the solar system.

Mercury

Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, so one would assume that it is constantly heated like a furnace. However, although the temperature on Mercury can reach 427°C, it can also drop to a very low level of -173°C. Such a large difference in the temperature of Mercury occurs because it lacks an atmosphere.

Venus

Venus, the second closest planet to the Sun, has the highest average temperatures of any planet in our solar system, regularly reaching temperatures of 460°C. Venus is so hot because of its proximity to the Sun and its dense atmosphere. The atmosphere of Venus consists of dense clouds containing carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. This creates a strong greenhouse effect that keeps the sun's heat trapped in the atmosphere and turns the planet into an oven.

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and so far the only planet known to support life. The average temperature on Earth is 7.2°C, but it varies by large deviations from this indicator. The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 70.7°C in Iran. The most low temperature was, and it reaches -91.2°C.

Mars

Mars is cold because, firstly, it does not have an atmosphere to maintain a high temperature, and secondly, it is located relatively far from the Sun. Because Mars has an elliptical orbit (it gets much closer to the Sun at some points in its orbit), during the summer its temperature can deviate by 30°C from normal in northern and southern hemispheres. Minimum temperature on Mars approximately -140°C, and the highest is 20°C.

Jupiter

Jupiter does not have any solid surface since it is a gas giant, so it does not have any surface temperature. At the top of Jupiter's clouds the temperature is about -145°C. As you descend closer to the center of the planet, the temperature increases. At the point where Atmosphere pressure ten times higher than on Earth, a temperature of 21°C, which some scientists jokingly call " room temperature" At the planet's core, temperatures are much higher, reaching approximately 24,000°C. For comparison, it is worth noting that Jupiter's core is hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Saturn

As on Jupiter, the temperature in the upper atmosphere of Saturn remains very low - reaching approximately -175°C - and increases as it approaches the center of the planet (up to 11,700°C at the core). Saturn actually generates its own heat. It produces 2.5 times more energy than it receives from the Sun.

Uranus

Uranus is the coldest planet with the lowest recorded temperature of -224°C. Although Uranus is far from the Sun, this is not the only reason for its low temperature. All the other gas giants in our solar system emit more heat from their cores than they receive from the sun. Uranus has a core with a temperature of approximately 4737°C, which is only one-fifth the temperature of Jupiter's core.

Neptune

With temperatures reaching as low as -218°C in Neptune's upper atmosphere, this planet is one of the coldest in our solar system. Like the gas giants, Neptune has a much hotter core, which has a temperature of about 7000°C.

Below is a graph showing planetary temperatures in both Fahrenheit (°F) and Celsius (°C). Please note that Pluto has not been classified as a planet since 2006 (see below).

The climate on Mars, although unfavorable for life, is still closest to that on Earth. Presumably in the past climate of Mars could have been warmer and more humid, with liquid water present on the surface and even raining.

Mars is the most likely target for the first manned mission to another planet.

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Atmospheric composition

The atmosphere of Mars is more rarefied than the air shell of the Earth, and consists of 95.9% carbon dioxide, about 1.9% nitrogen and 2% argon. Oxygen content 0.14%. The average atmospheric pressure at the surface is 160 times less than that of the Earth's surface.

The mass of the atmosphere changes greatly throughout the year due to condensation in winter and evaporation in summer, large volumes of carbon dioxide at the poles, in the polar caps.

Clouds and precipitation

There is very little water vapor in the Martian atmosphere, but at low pressure and temperature it is in a state close to saturation and often collects in clouds. Martian clouds are rather featureless compared to those on Earth.

Research conducted by the Mariner 4 spacecraft in 1965 showed that there is currently no liquid water on Mars, but data from NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers indicate the presence of water in the past. On July 31, 2008, ice water was discovered on Mars at the landing site of NASA's Phoenix spacecraft. The device discovered ice deposits directly in the ground.

There are several facts to support the claim that water was present on the planet's surface in the past. Firstly, minerals were found that could only be formed as a result of prolonged exposure to water. Secondly, very old craters have been practically erased from the face of Mars. The modern atmosphere could not cause such destruction. A study of the rate of formation and erosion of craters made it possible to establish that wind and water destroyed them most strongly about 3.5 billion years ago. Many ravines are approximately the same age.

NASA announced on September 28, 2015 that seasonal flows of liquid salt water currently exist on Mars. These formations manifest themselves in the warm season and disappear in the cold season. Planetologists came to their conclusions by analyzing high-quality images obtained scientific instrument High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

Temperature

The average temperature on Mars is much lower than on Earth - about −40°C. Under the most favorable conditions in summer, on the daytime half of the planet, the atmosphere warms up to 20°C - a completely acceptable temperature for the inhabitants of the Earth. But on a winter night the frost can reach −125°C. At winter temperatures, even carbon dioxide freezes, turning into dry ice. Such sudden temperature changes are caused by the fact that the thin atmosphere of Mars is not able to retain heat for a long time. As a result of numerous temperature measurements at various points on the surface of Mars, it turns out that during the day at the equator the temperature can reach +27°C, but by the morning it drops to −50°C.

There are temperature oases on Mars; in the areas of the Phoenix “lake” (solar plateau) and the land of Noah, the temperature difference ranges from −53°C to +22°C in summer and from −103°C to −43°C in winter. Thus, Mars is a very cold world, but the climate there is not much harsher than in Antarctica.

Climate of Mars, 4.5ºS, 137.4ºE (from 2012 to today)
Index	Jan.	Feb.	March	Apr.	May	June	July	Aug.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Year
Absolute maximum, °C	6	6	1	0	7	23	30	19	7	7	8	8	30
Average maximum, °C	−7	−18	−23	−20	−4	0	2	1	1	4	−1	−3	−5,7
Average minimum, °C	−82	−86	−88	−87	−85	−78	−76	−69	−68	−73	−73	−77	−78,5
Absolute minimum, °C	−95	−127	−114	−97	−98	−125	−84	−80	−78	−79	−83	−110	−127

> > > Temperature on Mars

What is the temperature on Mars: meaning day and night, summer and winter. Find out the average temperature of the atmosphere and surface of Mars, climate descriptions and research.

The Red Planet is located further from the Sun than Earth, so the planet receives less heat. To be more precise, this is an extremely cool place. The exception occurs only in the summer. But even at this time temperature on Mars falls below 0°C. In summer, the Red Planet can warm up to 20°C, but at night the temperature drops to -90°C.

Mars moves along an elliptical path, so the surface temperature is constantly changing, but only slightly. The axial inclination of 25.19 degrees resembles that of Earth (26.27), which means it has seasons. Let’s add here a thin atmospheric layer and we will understand why the planet cannot maintain at least minimal heating. The atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide. If it were denser, a greenhouse effect would form and we would get a second Venus.

How did the temperature change on Mars?

What about the past? Mars rovers and probes show areas of erosion that could be caused by liquid water. This hints that Mars was previously not only warm, but also wet. However, the Red Planet has remained dry and frosty for 3 billion years. Some believe that the cooling process began 4 billion years ago. However, the signs of erosion have not disappeared because there is no liquid water or plate tectonics. There is wind, but its strength is not enough to transform the surface.

It is important for researchers to track warm weather and liquid water because they are essential for the origin and evolution of life. In addition, if we plan further exploration and colonization, then we cannot do without water sources. The mission will take at least several years. Before the crew arrives, the water ice can be melted and cleaned.

If the temperature of Mars can still be combated, then water is the main obstacle to colonization. All that remains is to develop the technology that will take us there and back safely. Now you know how the temperature on Mars is during the day and at night.

The planet Mars, like Earth’s other close neighbor, Venus, has been the subject of the closest study by astronomers since antiquity. Visible to the naked eye, since ancient times it has been shrouded in mystery, legends and speculation. And today we know far from everything about the Red Planet, but much information obtained over centuries of observation and study has dispelled some myths and helped people understand many of the processes occurring on this space object. The temperature on Mars, the composition of its atmosphere, and the peculiarities of its orbital movement, after the improvement of technical research methods and the beginning of the space age, managed to move from the category of assumptions to the rank of indisputable facts. Nevertheless, many data about both such a close and such a distant neighbor have yet to be explained.

Fourth

Mars is located one and a half times further from the Sun than our planet (the distance is estimated at 228 million km). According to this parameter, it ranks fourth. Beyond the orbit of the Red Planet lies the Main Asteroid Belt and the “domain” of Jupiter. It flies around our star in about 687 days. At the same time, the orbit of Mars is highly elongated: its perihelion is located at a distance of 206.7, and its aphelion is 249.2 million km. And the day here lasts only almost 40 minutes longer than on Earth: 24 hours and 37 minutes.

Little brother

Mars belongs to the terrestrial planets. The main substances that make up its structure are metals and silicon. Among similar objects in its dimensions, it is only ahead of Mercury. The diameter of the Red Planet is 6,786 kilometers, which is about half that of Earth. However, Mars is 10 times less massive than our cosmic home. The area of ​​the entire surface of the planet is slightly larger than the area of ​​the Earth's continents combined, excluding the vastness of the World Ocean. The density here is also lower - only 3.93 kg/m3.

Search for life

Despite the obvious difference between Mars and Earth, for a long time it was considered a real candidate for the title of habitable planet. Before the beginning of the space age, scientists observing the reddish surface of this cosmic body through a telescope periodically discovered signs of life, which soon, however, found a more prosaic explanation.

Over time, the conditions under which at least the simplest organisms could appear outside the Earth were clearly defined. These include certain temperature parameters and the presence of water. Many studies of the Red Planet aimed to discover whether a suitable climate had developed there, and, if possible, to find traces of life.

Temperature on Mars

The Red Planet is an inhospitable world. The significant distance from the Sun significantly affects the climatic conditions of this cosmic body. Temperatures on Mars in Celsius vary on average from -155º to +20º. It is much colder here than on Earth, since the Sun, located one and a half times further away, warms the surface half as much. These not the most favorable conditions are aggravated by a rarefied atmosphere, which is highly transmittable to radiation, which, as is known, is destructive to all living things.

Such facts reduce to a minimum the chances of finding traces of existing or once extinct organisms on Mars. However, the point has not yet been made on this issue.

Determining factors

The temperature on Mars, as on Earth, depends on the position of the planet relative to the star. Its maximum value (20-33º) is observed during the day near the equator. Minimum values ​​(up to -155º) are reached near the South Pole. The entire territory of the planet is characterized by significant temperature fluctuations.

These differences affect both the climatic features of Mars and its appearance. The main feature of its surface, noticeable even from Earth, is the polar caps. As a result of significant heating in summer and cooling in winter period they undergo noticeable changes: they either decrease until they almost completely disappear, then they increase again.

Is there water on Mars?

When summer begins in one hemisphere, the corresponding polar cap begins to decrease in size. Due to the orientation of the planet's axis, as it approaches the perihelion point, the southern half faces the Sun. As a result, summers here are somewhat hotter, and the polar cap disappears almost completely. In the north, this effect is not observed.

Changes in the size of the polar caps have led scientists to believe that they consist of not entirely regular ice. The data collected to date allows us to assume that carbon dioxide plays a significant role in their formation, which large quantities contains the atmosphere of Mars. During the cold season, the temperature here reaches a point at which it usually turns into so-called dry ice. It is he who begins to melt with the arrival of summer. Water, according to scientists, is also present on the planet and makes up that part of the polar caps that remains unchanged even with increasing temperature (heating is not sufficient for its disappearance).

At the same time, the planet Mars cannot boast of the presence of the main source of life in the liquid state. For a long time, hope for its discovery was inspired by areas of the relief that closely resembled river beds. It is still not completely clear what could lead to their formation if there was never liquid water on the Red Planet. The atmosphere of Mars testifies in favor of a “dry” past. Its pressure is so insignificant that the boiling point of water falls at unusually low temperatures for the Earth, that is, it can only exist here in a gaseous state. Theoretically, Mars could have had a denser atmosphere in the past, but then traces of it would have remained in the form of heavy inert gases. However, so far they have not been discovered.

Winds and storms

The temperature on Mars, or rather its changes, leads to rapid movement air masses in the hemisphere where winter has set in. The resulting winds reach 170 m/s. On Earth, such phenomena would be accompanied by showers, but the Red Planet does not have sufficient water reserves for this. Dust storms occur here, so large that they sometimes cover the entire planet. The rest of the time, the weather is almost always clear (water is also needed to form a significant amount of clouds) and the air is very clear.

Despite the relatively small size of Mars and its unsuitability for life, scientists have high hopes for it. Here in the future it is planned to locate bases for mining and various scientific activities. It is difficult to say how realistic such projects are, but the continuous development of technology indicates that humanity will soon be able to implement the most daring ideas.

Mars is further from the Sun than Earth, so, as you would expect, temperatures on Mars are colder. For the most part, the planet is very cold. The only exceptions are summer days at the equator. Even at the equator, temperatures on the planet Mars drop below zero at night. On summer days, during the day it can be around 20 degrees Celsius, but at night it drops to -90 C.

Orbit

Mars has a highly elliptical orbit, so the temperature changes quite a bit as the planet orbits the Sun. Since it has an axis tilt similar to Earth’s (25.19 on Mars, and 26.27 on Earth), the planet has seasons. Add to this a thin atmosphere, and you can understand why the planet is unable to retain heat. The Martian atmosphere consists of more than 96% carbon dioxide. If the planet were able to retain an atmosphere, then carbon dioxide would cause a greenhouse effect that would warm it.

Traces of water erosion, image from Mars Odyssey

Orbiters have transmitted images that indicate erosion caused by liquid water. This indicates that Mars was once significantly warmer and wetter. Erosion has not disappeared because there is currently no liquid water or plate tectonics to greatly alter the landscape. There is wind, but it is not strong enough to change the surface.

The importance of a warm climate

Availability warm weather and liquid water is important for several reasons. One of them is that liquid water is essential for the evolution of life. Some scientists still believe that microbial life exists deep below the surface, where it is warmer and water can exist in liquid form.

Colonization

If humans ever colonize the planet, they must have sources of water. The manned mission will take about two years, and the amount of cargo on board the ship will be limited. One solution is that water ice could be melted and then purified, but finding liquid water would be even more practical.

Temperature is a minor obstacle to early human exploration of the planet, while the availability of water is much more significant. All we have to do is find a way to get to Mars and back without having to spend two years in cramped spacecraft.

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