A Brand New Condo...on Mars! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Between 150-300 days

Simple math would state that, if the spacecraft was going 20,000 km/hour, it should take just over 114 days to reach Mars at its opposition to Earth. However, the planets move in different orbits around the sun and the flight plan must consider those positions as opposed to a straight line. Also, no spacecraft can hold an infinite amount of fuel so the flight plan must also incorporate the need for deceleration and fuel-saving measures.

The first trip of a spacecraft to Mars launched in 1964 and took 228 days.

In the years since then, the average time has ranged between 150-300 days.

Answer: Much colder - average around -60 degrees C

Be prepared to bundle up in warm clothes for your new condo! Mars is the fourth planet from the sun so it is farther from that heat source than is Earth. It also has a very thin atmosphere so it cannot trap heat well. While temperature ranges can differ across the planet depending on the time of day, the average temperature is -55 degrees Celsius (-67 degrees Fahrenheit).

Answer: Mainly in the form of ice

The vast majority of water on Mars is in the form of ice. This ice is found beneath the surface of the planet and is also visible on the north pole. Scientists believe, based on the landscape, that Mars supported rivers and oceans millions of years ago that have since either evaporated or been frozen by the subzero temperatures.

In 2011 a high resolution camera found what appears to be liquid running down certain warmer slopes on the planet. This water would be high in salt content. Your condo would definitely not be getting its water from cool, fresh springs!

Answer: High levels of heavy metals in the soil

Many scientific projects have been created to simulate growing plants on places like the moon or Mars. Even though Mars has sufficient sunlight and would not pose an issue of bugs, the soil content is high in toxic substances. There are dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in Martian soil which can be absorbed by plants and then ingested by humans. NASA and other scientific groups continue to work with nutrient mixtures and procedures to reduce toxicity so that, hopefully soon, you can grow a garden next to your Mars condo!

Answer: A large volcano

Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in our solar system. It is a shield volcano meaning it was created from the flow of lava and is large and spread out. Olympus Mons itself is three times the height of Mt. Everest and is roughly the same size as the state of Arizona. It is not active now and is located in Mars' western hemisphere so it perhaps would make a nice day trip from the condo!

Answer: Goldstone, near Barstow, California

Deep Space Network was created to consolidate all deep space missions into one communications network. It consists of three main sites worldwide that each have multiple, huge antennae to communicate with space satellites. This means that satellites orbiting or passing by Mars can gather information from rovers on the actual surface of Mars and send it on to the DSN computers.

This enables information and technology to reach Earth faster. So you may not be chatting in real time to your loved ones back home but you can still communicate from your Mars condo.

Answer: 687 days

A year is the amount of time it takes for a planet to travel around the sun in our solar system. Each planet has a different obit around the sun. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun and its year is 88 days long. Earth is the third planet at 365 days. Because Mars is farther out, it takes longer to go around and ends up being almost double the amount of days as Earth at 687. So at your condo in Mars, make each birthday count!

Answer: Red

Mars has a red appearance because the surface of the planet is heavy with iron oxide, better known as rust. Rocks containing iron literally rusted millions of years ago as the water on the planet flowed then disappeared. Winds and rain then picked up the red dust and distributed it across the planet. NASA's exploratory rovers have also shown that even the sky on Mars is a red color due to the dust in the atmosphere. So maybe painting the condo red is a bit extreme!

Answer: Dust storms

Every year Mars gets some large dust storms, particularly in the Southern hemisphere, that provide so much swirling dust that it can be seen from telescopes on Earth. Global dust storms happen about every three Martian years and are so large that they literally cover the entire planet. Winds gust about sixty miles per hour and toss the red dust everywhere.

The dust has a tendency to stick to whatever it lands on as it slightly static. The storm eventually dies out as it is blocking the sun which is its main source of energy. So you will need to protect your condo from the dust storm and have a good vacuum cleaner ready!

Answer: They are the names of the two moons of Mars

Mars has two moons named Phobos and Deimos. They are some of the smallest moons in the solar system. Phobos, the larger of the two, also holds the distinction of being one of the moons in the solar system that orbits closest to its planet. They were discovered in the late 1870s and were named after the sons of Ares who is the Greek god of war. Almost a century later, spacecraft sent back pictures of the moons showing they are covered with dust, rocks, and craters. You had best enjoy the moons from your condo balcony now as scientists predict they will be gone within 50 million years!