Happy New Year, Mars! The Red Planet begins another circuit around the sun
Mars has officially entered a new year, marking the beginning of a 687-Earth-day orbit around the sun. Astronomers align the Martian new year with the northern equinox, which signals the start of spring in the planet's northern hemisphere.
Why it matters
Understanding Martian seasonal cycles is critical for the long-term planning of robotic missions and potential future human exploration.
We had to wait 22 months for this milestone.
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Click for next article Mars just started another one of its 22-month journeys around the sun. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/USGS) Copy link Reddit Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Those of us still humming on back-to-school energy can add some Red Planet flavor: We just marked the beginning of a new year on Mars.
The Martian new year officially clicked over today (Sept. 30) at 4:16 a.m. EDT (0816 GMT), when the Red Planet once again began its nearly 687-Earth-day journey around the sun .
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