Mars is rotating more quickly, NASA mission finds
Mars is rotating more quickly, NASA mission finds
www.cnn.com Mars is rotating more quickly, NASA mission finds | CNN
Mars spins a little more quickly each year, according to data collected by NASA’s now-retired InSight lander.
Astronomers determined that the planet’s spin is increasing by about 4 milliarcseconds per year², or shortening the length of a Martian day by a fraction of a millisecond per year. A Martian day lasts about 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth.
The increased acceleration seems incredibly small, and researchers aren’t quite sure what is causing it. However, they suggest it might be due to ice accumulation at the Martian poles or the rise of landmasses after being covered in ice. When a planet’s mass shifts in this way, it can cause the planet’s spin to accelerate.
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