ScienceAugust 18, 2026
sols
SOLZ
Definition
Martian solar days, each lasting approximately 24 hours and 40 minutes, used to measure time on the surface of Mars.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin word 'sol', meaning 'sun'. It was adopted by scientists during the Viking missions to distinguish a Martian solar day from an Earth day.
In the news
The article uses the term to define the duration of the Martian winter frost and the specific seasonal window where brine could theoretically form, distinguishing these periods from Earth days.
NASA’s Viking 2 lander photographed frost forming on Mars in the 1970s. Nearly half a century later, a University of Arkansas researcher fed its old weather measurements into a model and found something Viking’s scientists never knew: for roughly 30 Martia
Read the full article ↗Space Daily