Happy New Year on Mars – Year 36

On Mars, there are no annual income tax return, however as the world likewise orbits around our Sun, time on Mars is likewise determined in years. However, there are some substantial distinctions in between a year on Mars and a year on Earth. As we approach New Year’s Eve on Mars, let’s take a look at some resemblances and distinctions in between a year on the 2 worlds.

Happy New Mars Year! Credit: ESA

• One year on Mars equates to 687 Earth days. It takes practically two times as long as our Earth to orbit the Sun. This suggests your age would be a lot less if you resided on Mars! If you wish to feel more youthful, simply divide your present age by 1.88 and delicately discuss to your buddies that that’s your genuine age … on Mars.
• A martian day is specified, like on Earth, as the time it considers the world to make one transformation around its axis. This is called a sol. A sol is just somewhat longer than an Earth day: 24 hours and 39 minutes.
• Mars has 4 seasons: winter season, spring, summertime, and fall. They are specified by the world’s position along its orbit around the Sun. The martian New Year starts with the northward equinox (northern spring, southern fall). As Mars takes a trip through its annual trajectory, the world’s axial tilt triggers the northern hemisphere to get more sunshine throughout the northern summertime, and the southern hemisphere to get more sunshine in northern winter season – much like on Earth. Unlike Earth’s seasons, nevertheless, the seasons on Mars are not of equivalent lengths. This is due to the fact that the orbit of Mars around the Sun is more elliptical than that of Earth. For example, the northern hemisphere spring (southern hemisphere fall) lasts the longest, 194 sols, and the northern hemisphere fall (southern hemisphere spring) is the fastest season at 142 sols. 
• Mars’ elliptical orbit can have crucial effects. During southern spring and summertime, Mars visit the sun better and quicker. The resulting boost in luminosity warms up the environment, triggering turbulence to raise really great particles from the martian soil. For this factor, the 2nd half of a martian year is frequently marked by strong dust storms that can in some cases end up being planet-wide.
• Like on Earth, winter seasons are cold and summer seasons are warm on Mars, however the world’s general temperature level is a lot cooler, it has an annual average temperature level of minus 60 degrees Celsius. The world experiences various weather condition phenomena throughout the seasons. A weather condition phenomenon that comes back every year around the southern spring and summertime is the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud, a cloud of ice crystals that can rise to 1800 kilometers in length. It repeats for a minimum of 80 sols and after that vanishes once again throughout the remainder of the year.
• The martian calendar started relatively just recently compared to the one on Earth. The count began in Earth year 1955. This very first martian year accompanied a large dust storm in its 2nd half, appropriately called ‘the great dust storm of 1956’. 

February 7, 2021 marks the start of Year 36 on Mars. The dates of the next number of New Years can be discovered in the table listed below. 

If you’re searching for a factor to commemorate, here’s to a Happy New Mars Year!