Cycles of the Moon & Mars

Mars -- Year

• The Mars year -- or the period of time it takes to orbit completely around the sun -- is roughly 687 days, according to universetoday.com. The orbit is also considered relatively odd in comparison with the other planets, as the farthest point it sits away from the son is roughly 26 million miles further than the closest point.

Mars -- Seasons

• Mars tilts at roughly 25 degrees, which creates seasons similar to those on Earth. The Mars cycle features two equinoxes, one with a southern spring and northern fall, the other possessing a southern fall and northern spring. Solstices also exist, one with a southern summer and northern winter, the other, a southern winter and northern summer. Spring is the longest season, lasting roughly seven months. Summer seasons can feature extreme temperature fluctuations, with one half of the planet dropping to minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit, while the other side having temperatures in the 80s.

Moon -- Orbit

• The moon orbits around the Earth as opposed to the sun -- although it effectively travels with the Earth as the Earth orbits the sun. The moon's orbit around the Earth takes roughly 27 days, causing the phases of the moon. The full and new moons signify when the moon is in a straight line with the Earth and sun; however, during a new moon, the moon is in-between the Earth and sun, while during a full moon, the moon is on the outer edge. At 90-degree angles, the moon appears as a half moon, and then as quarter moons when at 45-degree angles.

Moon -- Daily Cycles

• The tilt of the moon -- or lack-thereof -- causes a lack of seasons on the moon as the sun points toward the polar regions. Half the moon is always experiencing day, while the other half is experiencing night, much like the Earth. The difference is that the same side of the moon is always facing the Earth due to the gravitational pull. This means that one moon day is roughly equivalent to the cycle of the moon's entire rotation.