MARS may need “a little work”, but one day humans could live on the Red Planet, astronomer Ray Pickard says.
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The sold-out ‘Mars, Here we Come’ talk at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum on Sunday attracted a crowd of all ages – from toddlers right through to other keen astronomers.
Mars may be the second-smallest planet in the Solar System after Mercury, but Mr Pickard said people have long held a fascination with the red planet.
“Mars is always one of those planets that’s always intrigued some people,” he said.
Mr Pickard said the fascination was in-part fueled by Hollywood movies about Mars and Martians, but also past astronomers possibly seeing movement.
“Some early astronomers who saw the seasonal changes thought they were seeing life,” he said.
“It’s one of those few planets that when we look through a telescope we actually see seasonal changes.
“You can see the ice caps grow and shrink.”
It’s particularly one of the few planets that we could possibly life on one day.
- Astronomer Ray Pickard
At its closest orbit to Earth, Mars is still 57 million kilometres away and Mr Pickard said humans would overcome the difference gravity and be able to source water before it could be inhabited.
“It’s particularly one of the few planets that we could possibly life on one day,” he said.
Nadine and Luke Wilcher, along with their sons Rowan, 7, and Demetri, 2, travelled from Orange to attend the talk.
“We love this place and it’s a great excuse to look at the museum,” she said.
“They’ve always been really good talks here on rocks and fossils.”