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How Big Is Mars Compared to Earth?

Mars is the fourth planet in our solar system. Its diameter is 4,220 miles, compared to Earth's diameter of 7,926 miles. Earth has 10 times the mass of Mars, over six times the volume and is 1.41 times as dense. The surface area of the Red Planet roughly equals the dry land area of Earth. Mars hurdles through its 687-day year at an average speed of 14.5 miles per second, a little slower than Earth's 18.5 mps. Earth's distance from the sun is 93 million miles, a good deal closer than the 142-million-mile gap between the sun and Mars.

Mars Fun Facts
- Mars has less gravity than Earth does. If you weigh 200 pounds on Earth, you'd tip the Martian scales at feather-light 75 pounds. While the average Earth temperature is a moderate 57 degrees F, pack your thermals for your Martian holiday, because the average temperature is a chilly minus 81 degrees F. On that holiday, you'll doubly enjoy moon-gazing on Mars, because the Red Planet has two of them. Both planets have similar tilts: Earth at 23.6 degrees and Mars at 25 degrees. The Martian day is 40 minutes longer than Earth's day. Mars has no atmospheric oxygen, so don't forget to pack your own.

Astronomy