Mars Already Celebrates New Year First
- SciTechDaily
VIVA – The planet Mars is reported to have celebrated the new year first, exactly on December 26, 2022. The Organization for Aviation and Space Research (OR PA/LAPAN) explained that the red planet is entering its 37th year.
"The previous new year occurred on February 7, 2021, and the next will occur on November 12, 2024," wrote Lapan_ri in an Instagram post on Wednesday, December 28, 2022.
Year 1 on Mars was set on August 19, 1956, which refers to the phenomenon of a violent dust storm. However, since the beginning of the year on the red planet uses the vernal equinox (when the Sun's ecliptic longitude = 0 degrees), year 1 on Mars began on April 11, 1955.
The Martian year system is extended to a negative year number by adding year 0, which was on May 24, 1953. Note that a year there is equal to 687 days on Earth.
"Because of the Mars' rotation period of 24 hours 37 minutes, one year on Mars is equal to 668 days," Lapan_ri explained.
The duration of the northern hemisphere spring on Mars is 193 days, the northern hemisphere summer is 179 days, the duration of the northern hemisphere fall is 143 days, and winter for the northern hemisphere is 154 days.
"However, this year is not the standard or official year used on Mars. Instead, it is only used by limited circles such as researchers to conduct climatology/climate studies on Mars that require a year number. This year's number can determine the seasonal patterns that occur on Mars," continued the caption.
Meanwhile, Earth will celebrate the new year in four days and change to 2023. In one year, Earth has 365 days. This difference is due to Mars' rotation period of 24 hours and 37 minutes, making a year on Mars 668 days long.
The Red Planet is 228 million kilometers from the Sun or 1,524 times the Earth-Sun distance. For your information, Mars is the fourth planet in the Solar System in the order of Mercury, Venus, Earth, then Mars.