Nov. 28 is Red Planet Day.
It’s been exactly 57 years since the Mariner 4 blasted off. The flyby spacecraft would, months later, send back the first pictures of Mars.
“In addition to providing key information about how to safely deliver future missions to the Martian surface, the spacecraft far outlasted its planned eight-month mission,” NASA says. “It lasted about three years in solar orbit, continuing long-term studies of the solar wind and making coordinated measurements with the Mariner 5 spacecraft.”
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It’s late summer on Mars, and the Curiosity Rover is sending back weather reports along with photos. the high on Mars will hover around minus-20 C, while the low will be around minus-72 C. Let’s see how that compares with conditions here on Earth:
Expect a high of 4 C during the day Monday, with a morning wind-chill of minus-7. At night, expect a low of minus-6 C with a few clouds.