How Long is a Day on Mars? Surprisingly Similar to Earth

A day on Mars (a “sol”) lasts about 24 hours and 37 minutes—almost the same as a day on Earth. This similarity makes Mars an appealing candidate for future manned missions and even colonisation.

However, a year on Mars equals 687 Earth days—nearly twice as long as our own year. That’s because Mars is much farther from the Sun than Earth (228 million kilometres compared to 150 million), which means its orbit is significantly larger. On top of that, Mars moves slower along its orbital path, taking longer to complete a full lap.

This difference in the Martian year presents challenges for human adaptation and long-term planning. If we lived on Mars, each day would feel quite familiar… but waiting for your next birthday would feel like an eternity!

mars

A day on Mars is similar to a day on Earth