So are you all excited that humanity might one day go too Mars?   Bear in mind though that it will take a very long time to get there indeed!

Yes, I'm excited, and with Earth headed towards overcrowding we will need the space. In such a vastly different world, surely humans there would, over time, evolve into different beings than we are. But how different, I wonder? Hugs, Tracey

According to Wolphram | Alpha  Mars is on average 14.1 light_minutes for earth.    By my calculations this makes Mars 157,356000.0 miles from earth!   


"  The distance from Earth to Mars changes on a minute to minute basis. The two travel along elliptical orbits that are not synchronized, so they are constantly alternating between getting closer together and farther apart.

Theoretically, Mars and Earth are closest together when Earth is at farthest point from the Sun(aphelion) and Mars is at its closest to the Sun(perihelion). At that point the two would be within 54.6 million km of each other. That point is said to be theoretical because it has not been observed during recorded history. The closest known approach was in 2003, when Earth and Mars were separated by only 56 million km. On the opposite end of the scale, Mars and Earth can be 401 million km apart when they are in opposition and both are at aphelion. The average distance between the two is 225 million km.  "

The journey to Mars would take around 214 days!

Quote from: Tracey on November 28, 2011, 05:47:13 PM
Yes, I'm excited, and with Earth headed towards overcrowding we will need the space. In such a vastly different world, surely humans there would, over time, evolve into different beings than we are. But how different, I wonder? Hugs, Tracey

Overcrowding isn't the problem yet, even on the Earth...we are, however, rapidly running out of the amount of fresh water needed for human purposes (primarily irrigation) without severely affecting non-human life.

Unless we find a significant amount of water on Mars, it's best if we didn't go there except for exploratory purposes.

Engineer types, come fix this hole I'm about to dig. Mars has too thin of an atmosphere, and it's too cold. Venus has too much atmosphere, which makes it too hot. What if we set up a conveyer belt of ships that aerobraked in the atmosphere of Venus, collecting some of said atmosphere, then slingshot the ships around the sun back to Mars where they discharge the atmosphere of Venus over Mars. We'd end up with two new planets. Hugs, Tracey

No, I've already seen the surface videos on Youtube so now I'm bored with it. Totally ecstatic about Europa though. ^.^

Quote from: Laura91 on November 28, 2011, 06:42:21 PM
If we colonized Mars would ruin it just like we have ruined Earth.

Well, if it was terraformed, I don't see how it could be ruined more than the state it's in now, lol.

you figure out how to melt the core of Mars hot enough to keep it melted for a number of eons and teraforming is possible

But without a spinning molten core providing an electromagnetic sheild against solar radiation you can kiss any thoughts of teraforming the place good bye.

Cynthia, how about if we got really dark sunglasses? Hugs, Tracey

Quote from: cynthialee on November 28, 2011, 09:11:01 PM
you figure out how to melt the core of Mars hot enough to keep it melted for a number of eons and teraforming is possible

But without a spinning molten core providing an electromagnetic sheild against solar radiation you can kiss any thoughts of teraforming the place good bye.

Easy: Build a Star Trek type transporter, and transport all the Earth's politicians (and about half the lawyers) to the center of Mars and viola! instant molten core, good until the next election. (We'd have to do away with elections to keep the core, but that's an easy fix: Create a "take a number" system like they have in stores...but with the caveat that once in office, the term is for 90 days, then you can take another number...you might start out with #6, but after the 90 days, you'd be number 45,982,783.)

  It would be difficult to colonize and terraform Mars.  Mars has a weak (0.125% of Earth's) magnetic field to protect the martian atmosphere from eroding away by the solar wind as found by the probes to Mars.  Mars orbit is highly elliptical and the solar energy flux on that planet varies from 36% to 53% of Earth's in the upper atmosphere during one martian year.   The flux is even lower on the surface due to dust floating in the atmosphere.  Near zero during the months long dust storms.  The dust is a problem for both of the rovers currently on Mars with a Mini Cooper sized nuclear powered one now on the way.  The rover "Spirit" has quit due partially to the dust on the cells and the orientation of its solar cells.  The rover "Opportunity" is on the north side of the western ridge of Endeavour crater looking for a wintering site.  The rover will be tilted on a slope to get the feebler sun better during the next few months.  It will do station keeping duties at this time. 
  The rover "Curiosity" AKA the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will arrive at Mars in August, 2012.  The landing area is slated to be at Gale crater at this time.  Gale was chosen from the images and remote sensing data from the MRO, Odyssey and Mars Express probes.  This crater seems to have the most to be offered.  This rover will do more than the two previous rovers did and the plutonium reactor inside will supply power and keep certain things warm during the night.  A link to the JPL page of the Mars exploration program with all of the still alive probes on or orbiting Mars: http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/  These links on the probe pages has some newbie info to help you get started and to understand these missions.

  Venus' atmosphere is slowly eroding away as well by the solar wind as found by the ESA probe Venus Express, which is still operating.  The Venusian atmosphere has thick cloud level consisting of sulfuric acid with an atmosphere of 96.5% CO2 and 3.5% nitrogen.  Venus surface temperature averages 875° F with a ball crushing pressure of 92 bars(1 bar = average air pressure at Earth sea level)!  Don't even think of going there, a closest description of Dante's Hell.
  Joelene