Mars Welcomes a New Year
Those of us still buzzing with back-to-school energy can add some Martian flair: we just marked the start of a new year on Mars!
The Martian new year rolled over on September 30 at 4:16 a.m. EDT (0816 GMT), coinciding with Mars’ return to its nearly 687-day journey around the sun.
The Unique Mars Day
If you were on Mars, you wouldn’t count days in Earth terms. A Mars day, known as a sol, lasts 24 hours and 39 minutes—the duration it takes Mars to rotate once. That means there are 668 sols in a Martian year.
September 30 is recognized as New Year’s Day on Mars largely due to human convention. Astronomers designated this date to align with the northern equinox, marking the start of spring in Mars’ northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere.
Seasons on Mars
Like Earth, Mars experiences four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. However, Martian seasons vary in length due to Mars’ more elliptical orbit. Its axial tilt results in unequal sunlight distribution, causing the northern hemisphere to receive more sunlight during summer and vice versa in winter.
Unlike Earth’s seasons, Martian conditions can lead to interesting phenomena: as Mars gets closer to the sun in its long year, dust storms emerge, lofting regolith particles from the surface into the atmosphere. Once airborne, these particles can heat up and redistribute warmth, leading to increased dust activity.
The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter captured these three dust devils on Mars.
Mars Conditions
Regardless of the season, conditions on Mars are harsh. In summer, temperatures can reach between 32°F and 140°F (0°C and 60°C), while winter can see temperatures plummet to a chilling minus 166°F (minus 110°C).
To witness life on Mars firsthand, you can follow NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, which continually send back fascinating images and updates on their explorations.
