Planet Mars in numbers - Infographic

Infographic comparing Planet Mars with Planet Earth. (Credit: Canadian Space Agency)

This infographic features an image of Mars along with a series of facts that highlight some of the differences between Mars and Earth.

• A graphic shows Mars's and Earth's orbits around the Sun.
• Because Mars's orbit is different from Earth's, there is one launch window every 26 months.
• The distance from Mars to Earth is between 55.7 and 401 million kilometres, depending on its orbit.
• Using current technology, it would take over two years for a team of astronauts to travel to Mars and back.
• Mars is half the size of Earth.
• Mars is one tenth the mass of Earth.
• There are 687 Earth days in a year on Mars; that's how many days it takes for Mars to make one revolution around the Sun.
• There are 365 days in a year on Earth; that's how many days it takes for Earth to make one revolution around the Sun.
• The length of a Martian day, known as a "sol," is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds.
• The average temperature on Mars is minus 55 degrees Celsius. When the sun is shining in the summer, the temperature near the Martian equator can reach 20 degrees Celsius, but it drops to minus 100 degrees Celsius at night!
• The highest wind speed recorded on Mars is 144 km/h.
• Water has been found on Mars in the form of vapour, ice and snow.
• The height of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the solar system, is 26 kilometres, over three times the height of Mount Everest.