Mars
Venus
Diameterkm
6,779
12,104
Mass (Earth = 1)x
0.11
0.81
Surface Gravitym/s²
3.72
8.87
Mean Temperature°C
-65
+462
Distance from SunAU
1.52
0.72
Orbital Perioddays
687
224.7
Day Lengthhours
24.66
2802.00
Known Moons
2
0
Axial Tilt°
25.19
177.36
Orbital Velocitykm/s
24.07
35.02
Quick Facts
Mars
- -Olympus Mons on Mars is about 21.9 km tall -- nearly three times the height of Mount Everest.
- -A Martian day (sol) is 24 hours and 37 minutes, remarkably similar to an Earth day.
- -Mars has seasons like Earth because its axial tilt (25.19°) is very similar to Earth's (23.44°).
- -Dust storms on Mars can grow large enough to engulf the entire planet and last for months.
Venus
- -Venus spins so slowly that its day (243 Earth days) is longer than its year (225 Earth days).
- -Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system at 462°C, despite Mercury being closer to the Sun.
- -Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most planets, so the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
- -The atmospheric pressure on Venus's surface is 92 times that of Earth -- like being 900 meters underwater.