Timekeeping on the Red Planet
Keeping time on Mars is tricky because a Martian day (called a Sol) is slightly longer than an Earth day.
- Values of a Sol 24h 39m 35.244s
- Mars Year 668.59 Sols (687 Earth days)
- Ratio (Mars/Earth) 1.0274912527
What is Ls?
Solar Longitude (Ls) is the Mars angle relative to the Sun, measured in degrees (0–360). It determines the Martian season:
- 0°: Northern Spring Equinox
- 90°: Northern Summer Solstice
- 180°: Northern Autumn Equinox
- 270°: Northern Winter Solstice