This ESA infographic explains how the new year works on Mars.
ESA
Sunday, February 7, 2021 on earth is a big deal for many people. It is Super Bowl Sunday. But it’s also a big deal on Mars because it marks the Martian New Year, an event that happens much less frequently than on our own planet.
If we look ahead to one day sending people to Mars, we need to start thinking more about Mars holidays. A year on the red planet lasts 687 days on earth, so we will need far less champagne and sound makers than we do at home.
This week, the European Space Agency (ESA) presented some proposals for the celebration of the Mars New Year. “If you want to feel younger, divide your current age by 1.88 and comfortably mention to your friends that this is your real age … on Mars,” ESA said.
We know it’s 2021 on Earth, but what year will it be on Mars? The answer: 36. “The count began in the year 1955,” the ESA said. “This first March year coincides with a very large dust storm in the second half, called ‘the great dust storm of 1956’.”
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If you ever feel like you do not have enough time in the day, Mars might be for you. Days on Mars (called “sols”) last about 24 hours and 39 minutes. NASA’s Curiosity Rover has just commemorated its 3000th anniversary in January.
There are extra reasons for Earthlings to celebrate the Mars New Year this time. It comes a few days before a trio spacecraft sent by NASA, China and the United Arab Emirates reaching the planet. They will arrive at slightly different times, and there is a lot of excitement surrounding the landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on February 18.
The next new Mars year will only happen on December 26, 2022, so the bubble breaks out and calls for a toast on the red planet and promises to be an epic Mars year for exploration.
Follow CNET’s 2021 space calendar to stay up to date with all the latest space news this year. You can even add it to your own Google Calendar.