Mars, the Fire Star Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mixed into its frozen poles

When the ice caps of Mars were discovered, the immediate conclusion was that they were made of carbon dioxide. However, this is not entirely true. The ice caps are about 85% carbon dioxide, 14% water, and the remaining percent is of trace substances. There is also a very small amount of ionized water in Mars's thin atmosphere. Continuing space exploration may yet find those elusive signs of life.

Answer: Slightly longer than the continental United States

At 4,000 kilometers long, Valles Marineris is one of the longest known trenches in the entire Solar System. It is divided into eleven regions. It is named after Mariner 9, the space probe that discovered the canyon, and is Latin for Mariner Valleys.

Answer: It is the tallest known mountain on Mars

For many years, Olympus Mons (meaning Mount Olympus in Latin) was known as the Solar System's tallest mountain .This is less certain now since discovery of Rheasilvia Mons on the asteroid Vesta, which is very similar in height. It is certainly the tallest mountain on Mars, though.

It is an inactive shield volcano and its estimated height is over two and a half times that of Everest.

Answer: Phobos will one day crash into Mars and Deimos will be flung out of Martian orbit

Phobos and Deimos have irregular orbits, suggesting that they were captured from the asteroid belt due to Mars's proximity. Due to this unorthodox way of attaining natural satellites, their orbits are not as stable as other moons of the Solar System. In millions of years, Phobos is expected to crash into Mars and might afterwards form a ring around the red planet. Deimos, the farther moon, is thought to have a slightly unstable hold on its orbit, and with the slightest orbital decay would be flung out of Mars's orbit.

Answer: Other planets disrupt its orbit

The most signifigant factor in changing Mars's orbit is Jupiter, which has a gravity 2.5 times stronger than Earth. Another factor is Earth itself. A third object to affect Mars's orbit is Ceres, in the asteroid belt. Mars has an eccentricity of 0.09, which may not sound like much, but 1.35 million years ago, a relatively short time considering the age of Mars, its eccentricity was 0.002.

It will continue increasing in eccentricity at least over the next 25,000 years.

Answer: The "face" on Mars

In an image taken by the Viking 1 probe in 1976, there was a noticeable hill that greatly resembled a human face in the region of Cydonia. It lead to speculation that it may have been sculpted by a long dead civilization, but it later turned out to be the position of shadows; no actual indentations made the shape of a face.

Answer: Cruithne

Cruithne is an asteroid sometimes referred to as Earth's second moon, due to a similar distance form the Sun, nowhere near Mars. It is thought that Mars may have dozens of more trojans waiting to be uncovered, but they would be small due to Mars's relatively low mass compared to the larger objects of the Solar System.

Answer: The same as the symbol for the male gender

Looking like a circle with an arrow pointing up and to the right, the astronomical symbol of Mars represents the spear and shield of Ares, Mars's Greek counterpart.

Answer: A mistranslation of Italian words

Schiaparelli had observed faint lines on Mars, calling them canali, which is Italian for "channels" or "grooves". However, this was misconstrued as meaning "canals", implying that they were man (Or rather, Martian) made. In the end, it turned out that what Schiaparelli had seen were mere optical illusions, making the whole point moot, anyway.

Answer: Aeolis Mons

Aeolis Mons was nicknamed Mount Sharp, in honor of geologist Robert Sharp. Coincidentally, there is also a crater named after Sharp located close to the mountain.