Land Passport in English. Astronomical terms and zodiac signs in English

Here you can find an article in English: Mars Planet / Planet Mars.

Mars in astronomy, 4th planet from the sun, with an orbit next in order beyond that of the earth.

Physical Characteristics

Mars has a striking red appearance, and in its most favorable position for viewing, when it is opposite the sun, it is twice as bright as Sirius, the brightest star. Mars has a diameter of 4,200 mi (6,800 km), just over half the diameter of the earth, and its mass is only 11% of the earth's mass. The planet has a very thin atmosphere consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, with some Mars has an extreme day-to-night temperature range, resulting from its thin atmosphere, from about 80°F (27°C) at noon to about -100°F (-73°C) at midnight; , the high daytime temperatures are confined to less than 3 ft (1 m) above the surface.

Surface Features

A network of linelike markings first studied in detail (1877) by G. V. Schiaparelli was referred to by him as canali, the Italian word meaning "channels" or "grooves." Percival Lowell, then a leading authority on Mars, created a long-lasting controversy by accepting these "canals" to be the work of intelligent beings. Under the best viewing conditions, however, these features are seen to be smaller, unconnected features. The greater part of the surface area of ​​Mars appears to be a vast desert, dull red or orange in color. This color may be due to various oxides in the surface composition, particularly those of iron. About one fourth to one third of the surface is composed of darker areas whose nature is still uncertain. Shortly after its perihelion Mars has planetwide dust storms that can obscure all its surface details.

Photographs sent back by the Mariner 4 space probe show the surface of Mars to be pitted with a number of large craters, much like the surface of our moon. In 1971 the Mariner 9 space probe discovered a huge canyon, Valles Marineris. Completely dwarfing the Grand Canyon in Arizona, this canyon stretches for 2,500 mi (4,000 km) and at some places is 125 mi (200 km) across and 2 mi (3 km) deep. Mars also has numerous enormous volcanoes—including Olympus Mons (c.370 mi/600 km in diameter and 16 mi/26 km tall), the largest in the solar system—and lava plains. In 1976 the Viking spacecraft landed on Mars and studied sites at Chryse and Utopia. They recorded a desert environment with a reddish surface and a reddish atmosphere. These experiments analyzed soil samples for evidence of microorganisms or other forms of life; none was found. In 1997, Mars Pathfinder landed on Mars and sent a small rover, Sojourner, to take soil samples and pictures. Among the data returned were more than 16,000 images from the lander and 550 images from the rover, as well as more than 15 chemical analyzes of rocks and extensive data on winds and other weather factors. Mars Global Surveyor, which also reached Mars in 1997, has returned images produced by its systematic mapping of the surface. The European Space Agency's Mars Express space probe went into orbit around Mars in late 2003 and sent the Beagle 2 lander to the surface, but contact was not established with the lander. The American rovers Spirit and Opportunity landed successfully in early 2004.

Analysis of the satellite data indicates that Mars appears to lack active plate tectonics at present; there is no evidence of recent lateral motion of the surface. With no plate motion, hot spots under the crust stay in a fixed position relative to the surface; this, along with the lower surface gravity, may be the explanation for the giant volcanoes. However, there is no evidence of current volcanic activity. There is evidence of erosion caused by floods and small river systems. The possible identification of rounded pebbles and cobbles on the ground, and sockets and pebbles in some rocks, suggests conglomerates that formed in running water during a warmer past some 2-4 billion years ago, when liquid water was stable and there was water on the surface, possibly even large lakes or oceans. Rovers have identified minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water. There is also evidence of flooding that occurred less that several million years ago, most likely as the result of the release of water from aquifers deep underground. Data received beginning in 2002 from the Mars Odyssey space probe suggests that there is water in sand dunes found in the northern hemisphere.

Seasonal Changes

Because the axis of rotation is tilted about 25° to the plane of revolution, Mars experiences seasons somewhat similar to those of the earth. One of the most apparent seasonal changes is the growing or shrinking of white areas near the poles known as polar caps. These polar caps, which are composed of water ice and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). during the Martian summer the polar cap in that hemisphere shrinks and the dark regions grow darker; in winter the polar cap grows again and the dark regions become paler. The seasonal portion of the ice cap is dry ice.

Astronomical Characteristics

The mean distance of Mars from the sun is about 141 million mi (228 million km); its period of revolution is about 687 days, almost twice that of the earth. At those times when the sun, earth, and Mars are aligned (i.e., in opposition) and Mars is at its closest point to the sun (perihelion), its distance from the earth is about 35 million mi (56 million km); this occurs every 15 to 17 years. At oppositions when Mars is at its greatest distance from the sun (aphelion) it is about 63 million mi (101 million km) from the earth. It rotates on its axis with a period of about 24 hr 37 min, a little more than one earth day.

Satellites of Mars

Mars has two natural satellites, discovered by Asaph Hall in 1877. The innermost of these, Phobos, is about 7 mi (11 km) in diameter and orbits the planet with a period far less than Mars's period of rotation (7 hr 39 min), causing it to rise in the west and set in the east.

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. Mars can easily be seen from Earth with the naked eye. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts, and polar ice caps of Earth. The rotational period and seasonal cycles of Mars are likewise similar to those of Earth. Mars is the site of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the Solar System, and of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon. The smooth Borealis basin in the northern hemisphere covers 40% of the planet and may be a giant impact feature. Unlike Earth, Mars is now geologically and tectonically inactive. Geological evidence gathered by unmanned missions suggest that Mars once had large-scale water coverage on its surface, while small geyser-like water flows may have occurred during the past decade. In 2005, trace amounts of water at the The Phoenix lander directly sampled water ice in shallow martian soil on July 31, 2008.

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped. These may be captured asteroids. Mars has approximately half the radius of Earth. It is less dense than Earth, having about 15% of Earth's volume and 11% of the mass. Its surface area is only slightly less than the total area of ​​Earth's dry land.

The surface of Mars as seen from Earth is divided into two kinds of areas, with differing albedo. The paler plains covered with dust and sand rich in reddish iron oxides were once thought of as Martian "continents" and given names like Arabia Terra (land of Arabia) or Amazonis Planitia (Amazonian plain). The dark features were thought to be seas, hence their names Mare Erythraeum, Mare Sirenum and Aurorae Sinus. The largest dark feature seen from Earth is Syrtis Major. The permanent northern polar ice cap is named Planum Boreum, while the southern cap is called Planum Australe.

The lengths of the Martian seasons are about twice those of Earth"s, as Mars' greater distance from the Sun leads to the Martian year being about two Earth years long. Martian surface temperatures vary from lows of about -87 °C during the polar winters to highs of up to -5 °C in summers.The wide range in temperatures is due to the thin atmosphere which cannot store much solar heat, the low atmospheric pressure, and the low thermal inertia of Martian soil. dust storms in our Solar System.

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system. This planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. Mars can be easily seen from Earth with the naked eye. It is often described as the "Red Planet" because the iron oxide present on its surface gives it a reddish appearance. Mars is a rarefied terrestrial planet with surface features that resemble impact craters on the Moon; volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of the Earth. The period of rotation and seasonal cycles of Mars is also similar to the Earth. Mars is the location of Mount Olympus, the highest known mountain in the solar system, and the Mariner's Valley is the largest canyon. The smooth Borealis Valley in the northern hemisphere covers 40% of the planet and can have a gigantic impact. Unlike Earth, Mars is currently geologically and tectonically inactive. Geological evidence collected by unmanned missions suggests that large-scale waters once covered its surface, and small, geyser-like streams of water may have appeared over the past ten years. In 2005, radar data showed a large amount of water ice at the poles and mid-latitudes. The Phoenix lander sampled water ice in shallow Martian soil on July 31, 2008.

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregular. They may be captured asteroids. Mars has about half the radius of Earth. It is less dense than the Earth, having about 15% of the volume of the Earth and only 11% of the mass. Its area is only slightly less than the total land area of ​​the Earth.

The surface of Mars, as seen from Earth, is divided into two types of regions with different albedo. Pale - plains covered with dust and sand, rich in reddish iron oxide, were once considered the Martian "continents" and are named Arabia Terra (Earth of Arabia) and Amazonis Planitia (Amazon Plain). The dark areas were considered seas, hence their names: Mare Erythraeum, Mare Sirenum and Aurorae Sinus. The largest dark area visible from Earth is Bolshoy Syrt. The permanent north polar ice cap is called Planum Boreum and the south polar ice cap is called Planum Australe.

Martian seasons are about twice as long as Earth seasons, as Mars's greater distance from the Sun causes a Martian year to last about 2 Earth years. The temperature of the Martian surface varies from around -87°C during polar winters to -5°C in summer. The wide temperature range is due to the thin atmosphere that cannot store much solar heat, the low atmospheric pressure, and the low thermal inertia of the Martian soil. Mars also has the largest dust storms in our solar system. They can range from small area storms to giant storms that cover the entire planet.

Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in our Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third-largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than Uranus. On average, Neptune orbits the Sun at a distance approximately 30 times the Earth-Sun distance. Its astronomical symbol is a stylized version of the god Neptune's trident.

Discovered on September 23, 1846, Neptune was the first planet found by mathematical prediction rather than by empirical observation. Neptune is similar in composition to Uranus, and both have compositions which differ from those of the larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Neptune"s atmosphere, while similar to Jupiter"s and Saturn"s in that it is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, along with traces of hydrocarbons and possibly nitrogen, contains a higher proportion of "ices" such as water, ammonia and methane Astronomers sometimes categorize Uranus and Neptune as "ice giants" in order to emphasize these distinctions. The interior of Neptune, like that of Uranus, is primarily composed of ices and rock. Traces of methane in the outermost regions in part account for the planet "s blue appearance.

In contrast to the relatively featureless atmosphere of Uranus, Neptune's atmosphere is notable for its active and visible weather patterns. The planet's southern hemisphere possessed a Great Dark Spot comparable to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. These weather patterns are driven by the strongest sustained winds of any planet in the Solar System, with recorded wind speeds as high as 2,100 km/h.

Neptune has a planetary ring system, though one much less substantial than that of Saturn. Neptune has 13 known moons. The largest by far, is Triton. Unlike all other large planetary moons in the Solar System, Triton has a retrograde orbit, indicating that it was captured rather than forming in place; it probably was once a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt.

Neptune

Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the solar system. Named after the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the size of Earth and slightly more massive than Uranus. On average, Neptune revolves around the Sun at a distance of about 30 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Its astronomical symbol is a stylized version of the god Neptune's trident.

Discovered on September 23, 1846, Neptune was the first planet found through mathematical prediction rather than empirical observation. Neptune is similar in composition to Uranus, and both have a composition that is different from the larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Neptune's atmosphere is similar to that of Jupiter and Saturn in that it is mostly hydrogen and helium, with traces of hydrocarbons and possibly nitrogen, but it also contains a high proportion of ices such as water, ammonia and methane. Astronomers sometimes classify Uranus and Neptune as "ice giants" to emphasize these differences. The internal structure of Neptune, like Uranus, mainly consists of ice and rocks. Methane traces in remote regions are partly responsible for the planet's blue color.

Unlike the relatively flat atmosphere of Uranus, Neptune's atmosphere is characterized by active weather conditions. The planet's southern hemisphere has a Great Dark Spot in comparison to Jupiter's Great Red Spot. These weather conditions are driven by the strongest winds in the solar system, with recorded wind speeds of up to 2,100 km/h.

Neptune has a system of planetary rings, but it is much less significant than that of Saturn. Neptune has 13 known moons. The largest by far is Triton. Unlike all other large planetary moons in the solar system, Triton has a retrograde orbit, indicating that it was captured rather than formed in situ, it likely once was a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt.

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass slightly less than one-thousandth of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Together, these four planets are sometimes referred to as the Jovian planets.

The planet was known by astronomers of ancient times and was associated with the mythology and religious beliefs of many cultures. The Romans named the planet after the Roman god Jupiter. When viewed from Earth, Jupiter on average is the third-brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus.

Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen with a quarter of its mass being helium; it may also have a rocky core of heavier elements. The outer atmosphere is visibly segregated into several bands at different latitudes, resulting in turbulence and storms along their interacting boundaries. A prominent result is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that is known to have existed since at least the 17th century when it was first seen by telescope. Surrounding the planet is a faint planetary ring system and a powerful magnetosphere. There are also at least 63 moons, including the four large moons called the Galilean moons that were first discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. Ganymede, the largest of these moons, has a diameter greater than that of the planet Mercury, among others are Europa , and Callisto.

Jupiter has been explored on several occasions by robotic spacecraft, most notably during the early Pioneer and Voyager flyby missions and later by the Galileo orbiter. The most recent probe to visit Jupiter was the Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft in late February 2007.

Jupiter has the largest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System, spanning over 5000 km in altitude. As Jupiter has no surface, the base of its atmosphere is usually considered to be the point at which atmospheric pressure is equal to 10 bars, or ten times surface pressure on Earth. Jupiter is perpetually covered with clouds composed of ammonia crystals. The orange and brown coloration in the clouds of Jupiter are caused by upwelling compounds that change color when they are exposed to ultraviolet light from the Sun.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet in the solar system. It is a gas giant with a mass just under one thousandth of the Sun, but two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our solar system combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Together, these four planets are sometimes referred to as the gas group planets.

The planet was known to astronomers of antiquity and has been associated with the mythology and religious beliefs of many cultures. The Romans named the planet after the Roman god Jupiter. When viewed from Earth, Jupiter is on average the third brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus.

Jupiter is composed mostly of hydrogen, one-fourth of its mass is helium, and it may also have a rocky core of heavier elements. The outer atmosphere of the planet is clearly divided into several bands at different latitudes, and as a result of unrest and storms, their boundaries interact. A famous result is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm known to have existed since at least the seventeenth century, when it was first seen with a telescope. The planet is surrounded by a ring with a powerful magnetosphere. There are also at least 63 moons, including 4 large moons called Galilean moons, which were first discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. Ganymede, the largest of these moons, has a diameter greater than that of Mercury; among others, Europa and Callisto.

Jupiter has been studied by robotic spacecraft, especially early in the Pioneer flyby and the Voyager mission, and then by the Galileo orbiter. The last Pluto-focused New Horizons probe visited Jupiter in late February 2007.

Jupiter has the largest atmosphere in the solar system, spanning over 5,000 km in altitude. Since Jupiter has no surface, the base of the atmosphere is generally considered to be the point at which atmospheric pressure is 10 bar, or 10 times the pressure on Earth. Jupiter is constantly covered in clouds of ammonia crystals. The orange and brown colors of Jupiter's clouds are caused by upwelling compounds that change color when exposed to the sun's ultraviolet radiation.

We rarely talk about stars, planets, space, the universe, but if you are interested in this field of knowledge, you need to know at least basic astronomical terms. This selection includes those “cosmic” words that can be called common: the names of the planets, basic terms. You can hear them on TV or meet at.

I also added the names of the signs of the Zodiac in English - they are more related to astrology than astronomy (completely different things), and if you are engaged in science, such a combination of topics will seem strange to you. However, I decided to add the signs of the Zodiac in English, because they can also be useful in communication.

Names of the planets in English

Let's start with our own solar system. When I was in school, nine planets revolved around the Sun, since 2006, by decision of the International Astronomical Union, Pluto has been considered a dwarf planet, that is, it is officially excluded from the list of planets in the solar system, but I still included it in this collection of words.

The planets are named in the order in which they are relative to the Sun. From the nearest (Mercury) to the most distant (Pluto). To memorize the order of the planets in Russian, a lot of memos have been invented in which the first letters correspond to the first letters in the names of the planets, for example these:

We All Know - Yulia's Mom Sat On Pills In The Morning.

Masha Venik Chalk Land, Yura Sat At the Spider's Hole.

In English, too, there are such memoirs:

My Very Efficient Memory Just Stores Up Nine Planets. “My very efficient memory just stores nine planets.

My Very Easy Method Just Shows Us Nine Planets. “My very simple method just shows us nine planets.

And here is a more modern version, already without Pluto:

My Violent Evil Monster Just Scared Us Nuts. “My cruel evil monster just scared us crazy.

As you know, the exclusion of Pluto from the number of planets was not to everyone's liking. This was reflected in such angry memoirs:

Many Very Educated Men Justify Stealing Unique Ninth. “Many highly educated people justify stealing the unique ninth [planet].

Many Very Educated Men Just Screwed Up Nature. “A lot of very educated people just screwed up with nature.

Also note that the Sun in English is Sun, but the Solar System is Solar System. The adjective "solar" is derived from the Latin name for the sun - "sol".

General astronomical terms

There are a lot of terms related to space. I chose vocabulary that might be found in news, science fiction films, and fiction.

star	star
Moon	Moon
natural satellite	natural satellite
planet	planet
constellation	constellation
territorial	terrestrial
extraterrestrial	extraterrestrial
stellar	star
interstellar	interstellar
universe	Universe
galaxy	galaxy
asteroid	asteroid
meteor	meteor
meteorite	meteorite
comet	comet
crater	crater
astronaut	astronaut
black hole	black hole
gravity	gravity
dark matter	dark matter
dwarf planet	dwarf planet
supernova	supernova
eclipse	eclipse
satellite	artificial satellite
telescope	telescope
vacuum	vacuum
milky way	Milky Way
nebula	nebula
atmosphere	atmosphere
rocket	rocket
space ship	spaceship
spacecraft	spacecraft (ship)
surface rover	lunar rover (mars rover, etc. “move”)
orbit	orbit
to orbit	revolve around the planet (orbit)

Even if you do not turn on the radio louder when the horoscope is broadcast, it will not be superfluous to know what the signs of the Zodiac are called in English. Otherwise, what will you answer the question “What’s your Zodiac sign?”