MAY MARS ASTRONOMY QUIZ

May is an exciting month as far as Mars is concerned with the arrival of Phoenix so here is a Mars Quiz.

1. How far is Mars from Earth ?

2. What is its diameter ?

3. Who was the first to see Mars through a telescope ?

4. Who first produced a detailed map of Mars showing the 'canali' or 'canals' ?

5. The highest known mountain in the Solar System is on Mars - what is it called ?

6. The largest known Canyon system in the Solar System is also on Mars. What is it called?

7. How many moons does Mars have, what are their names and who discovered them?

8. Who wrote 'The Martian Chronicles' ?

9. What's the approximate difference between a day on Earth and a day on Mars ?

10. Does Mars have seasons ?

11. What is 'Tharsis' ?

12. What is Mars' orbital period round the Sun ?

13. What 'first contact' event was reported in 1901 with regards to Mars ?

14. Where was the 'Smiley - happy face' seen on Mars by Vilking Orbiter 1 ?

15. What was announced on August 6th, 1996 by David McKay and his team ?

16. Why is the Mars sky pink ?

17. Are there clouds on Mars ?

18. What are Martian Spiders ?

19. Which fictional rock superstar had a band called the 'Spiders From Mars' ?

20. If you weighed 150 pounds on Earth , how much would you weigh to someone who lifted you on Mars ?