How to Research Facts About Mars

Introduction

Mars is the planet closest to Earth. This little planet has so much to offer to students not only of science, but also of history and mythology, thanks to Greek and Roman legend.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Astronomy books
• Mythology books
• Biology books
• Geology books
• Chemistry books

Steps

1 Step One

Search science and astronomy Web sites and books to learn about the best-known aspect of Mars--the popular belief that it is the planet most likely to harbor life besides Earth. Make sure to look for facts about Mars's atmosphere, surface temperature, mass and orbit.

2 Step Two

Read up on mythology and ancient astronomy. Look for information about the planet's place in Roman mythology as the god of war, probably due to its red color, and in Greek mythology as Ares. Also, make sure to look for facts about Greek astronomy.

3 Step Three

Look for information about how Mars was considered the best candidate for harboring extraterrestrial life before space exploration. Astronomers thought they saw straight lines crisscrossing its surface, leading to the popular belief that irrigation canals on the planet had been constructed by intelligent beings. We now know these features are simply natural landforms caused by ancient lava or water flows.

4 Step Four

Learn that Mars is easily visible with the unaided eye when it is in the night sky, and appears as a small red disk through telescopes. Features on its surface, especially the white ice caps, are best viewed every two years when it is closest to Earth.

5 Step Five

Explore how the canyons and dried-up riverbeds on Mars suggest that water once flowed there in abundance, leaving open the question of Mars sustaining life at some time in the past. Be sure to also study how Mars currently prevents the formation of living organisms.

6 Step Six

Look at the first closeup pictures of Mars taken by Mariner 4 in July 1965 and those of Viking 1 and 2 from the surface of Mars in July and September 1976. Learn how the three biology experiments aboard the landers provided no clear evidence of the presence of living microorganisms in the soil near the landing sites.

7 Step Seven

Learn about the geological data and many pictures sent by Mars Pathfinder in 1997 and the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity in 2004.