The main character of the film is forgotten on Mars, but he does not despair - he grows potatoes on the red planet and even manages to take off in a spaceship without windows. Many viewers had a question: is this possible in reality? We asked experts to comment on some controversial issues.
Can a tarpaulin really be so strong that it can withstand all this - both a storm on Mars and a flight? (It didn’t break right away.)
Dmitry Pobedinsky, physicist, science popularizer, video blog author"Physics from Pobedinsky" :
The tarp is strong for the atmosphere of Mars. It is very rarefied, the pressure on the surface is 160 times less than on Earth. Therefore, it is likely that the tarpaulin will be able to withstand such a load. But, of course, we need to calculate more accurately.The tarpaulin in the film does not even seem to tear, but simply slides off when the ship is almost in orbit. Perhaps the knots came loose due to overload and vibrations.
Is it possible to grow potatoes from Martian soil, fertilizing it with human waste products?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: Martian soil consists of inorganic compounds. Like sand. Is it possible to grow something in sand? If yes, then it will work in Martian soil.
Alexey Sakharov, Chairman of the Council of the Union of Organic Farming:
In principle, it is possible, although most likely not so quickly. The fact is that in nature, even in sterile soil (for example, sterile sand), all the chemical elements necessary for plant growth are contained, but they are in a form inaccessible to plants. The process of creating mineral substances from these chemical elements, which will be in a form digestible by the plant, is a process almost entirely associated with the activity of microorganisms. Having fertilized the sterile substrate with waste products, main character introduced biota into this soil, which, after a certain period, will be able to create from this soil in the process of its life activity a soil that will be sufficiently nutritious for the growth of plants, including potatoes.Matt Damon's hero more than a year(500 sol) spent eating only potatoes, at first feeding himself with vitamins, but then they ran out. Nevertheless, he still had a beautiful smile, no signs of scurvy or other problems - except that he had lost weight. How is this possible?
Chief freelance nutritionist of the Ministry of Health of the Krasnodar Territory Leila Kadyrova:
It will be difficult to get scurvy by eating only potatoes. Potatoes contain vitamin C, which, when properly cooked, remains in sufficient quantities and allows the body to resist disease.
But I assure you that nothing good will happen to the health of a person who eats only potatoes for a year. What are potatoes? This is a fairly satisfying, starchy vegetable that contains virtually no proteins or fats. This is a carbohydrate-containing food. If the body does not receive proteins for a long time, it means that it will not have the “building material” for all the vital systems of the body. A person will feel weak and lack energy, his performance will decrease, and the functions of the liver, nervous and circulatory systems, and pancreas will be impaired. If there is no fat in the diet, brain function will deteriorate, intestinal problems will begin, and joint diseases may occur.
It is absolutely impossible to die of hunger by eating only potatoes. But it is quite possible to develop numerous immune diseases. The body will simply lose its ability to fight viral infections.
The hero of the film ignites hydrogen to make water. Is this really possible? And is it possible to try making this at home?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: When hydrogen burns, it actually produces water. This is difficult to do at home. After all, at a minimum, you need hydrogen, but it is not sold in the store, it is still an explosive gas.
What is a gravity sling?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: The gravity sling is a gravity maneuver. You can fly past the planet and build your trajectory in such a cunning way that after passing the planet your speed will increase, without using engines. The trick is that the energy of movement is exchanged with the planet. The speed and energy of the spacecraft increase. The energy of the planet decreases by the same amount, but it has such a huge mass that the decrease in its speed is negligible.
Could a person survive in a craft that takes off from Mars without windows or a roof?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: If a person’s vital activity is supported by a spacesuit, then I think yes, you can take off without windows.
Why didn't the main character die from radiation on Mars? Especially using a reactor for heating?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: For heating, he did not use a reactor, but a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. It contains a radioactive substance in which a slow process of radioactive decay occurs, and not nuclear reaction. In general, if you disconnect it from the load, it will generate heat. Moreover, if it is not damaged, the background radiation around it will be higher than natural, but not fatal.
Previously, there was even a practice of installing such things in hard-to-reach areas - in the taiga, tundra. For powering beacons or other autonomous means of communication.Another thing is solar radiation. The atmosphere on Mars is rarefied and provides little protection from it. But they didn’t walk there naked either, they were in spacesuits. They can protect from solar radiation.
Can there really be such strong winds on Mars?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: The wind on Mars can be fast, but it is very thin. Therefore, the most severe Martian weather will at most ruin your hairstyle.
What is one sol equal to?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: One sol is one Martian day. It is almost like ours - 24 hours 39 minutes 35.24409 seconds.
How did Hermes have enough fuel to fly halfway back to Mars, pick up Matt Damon, and fly back?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: You don't need fuel to fly in space! You are flying by inertia. Therefore, using gravitational maneuvers, I think it is possible to shuttle between planets for quite a long time (fuel is only needed to adjust the orbit and to transfer from one orbit to another). With such maneuvers you don’t need much of it.
How did the heroes manage to “swim” so famously in outer space without a safety rope?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: I have no idea. One awkward move and you'll fly away from the station.
What confused you, as a physicist, about the film?
Dmitry Pobedinsky: It was confusing how he, having pierced the glove, was able to control his movement. After all, if you apply force not to the center of gravity, then you will be twisted. And finding the center of gravity is quite difficult.
It was embarrassing how he famously sealed the cracked glass of the spacesuit with tape. It’s not even a matter of strength, but of stickiness and tightness - how did he seal everything perfectly so quickly, while still in a spacesuit?
Even in all the films where the spaceship rotates to create artificial gravity, the Coriolis force is not taken into account. She would constantly push you to the side.
On Mars, gravity is 3 times weaker. Didn't notice this in the movie. But this should be noticeable: it’s the same as weighing twenty kilograms instead of sixty, for example.
What was also confusing was that there was lighting inside the suit. Any driver knows that if the light is on in the car, a reflection appears on the glass. It will be the same in a spacesuit. From inner surface The light will be reflected and it will be difficult to see through the glass.
"Martian". Still from the film
Director Ridley Scott has finally reached Russian distribution. Included in various lists of the most anticipated films of the year, the film with Matt Damon has always aroused wide interest among all cinema lovers. Still would! Space themes in cinema have always been interesting to viewers. In addition, the plot is based on a best-selling book, and one of the most skilled directors of modern Hollywood is responsible for the production. Famous actors, a wonderful trailer and promotional materials, as well as intrusive advertising in all kinds of media did their job - “The Martian” recouped its 108 million budget in a week!
The tape is controversial in its authenticity. After watching, questions arise: is it possible to grow potatoes on Mars, as Mark Watney did, will a person go crazy if he finds himself on a deserted planet, are astrophysicists’ calculations correct regarding changes in the trajectory of a spacecraft, and many, many others. And in honor of the release of “The Martian” in wide Russian release, we decided to select and combine eight interesting facts about Ridley Scott's space film, which will slightly lift the veil of secrecy.
Fact 1. The plot of the film is based on the debut novel by American writer Andy Weir. Desperate to wander around publishing houses, Weir came to the decision to publish the book chapter by chapter on his blog. The Martian soon gained a lot of fans, so the author decided to start selling an electronic version of the book on Amazon for just one dollar, and the novel quickly became a hit. The printed version of the work was preceded by an audiobook, but immediately after publication, Hollywood representatives contacted Weir with an offer to buy the rights to the film adaptation of “The Martian.” The film copies the original source almost word for word, although minor changes are made that actually do not affect the plot.
Fact 2. The film, like the book, uses official Martian timing. Scientists call a day on Mars the term “sol.” 1 sol is approximately 24 hours 39 minutes 35 seconds (on our planet the average length of a day is 24 hours 3 minutes 57 seconds). Thus, a “Martian second” is approximately 2.7% longer than an Earth second.
Fact 3. The filmmakers worked closely with the space agency NASA. According to established rules, if filmmakers want to mention an agency in their film, then first of all they need to get written approval from them. To prevent unreliability, NASA reads and checks the script for errors. The management liked Drew Goddard's script so much that the agency acted as consultants in the filming, so there is no doubt about the authenticity of the events taking place. Also funny is the fact that a few days before the world premiere of “The Martian,” scientists from NASA confirmed the presence of water reserves on the red planet. Whether this was a PR stunt for the release of the film, we cannot say yet.
Fact 4. Most of the film's production took place in Budapest, in the huge studios of Korda Studios. But the location shooting of Mars is not special effects, but the orange desert of Wadi Rum in Jordan, which is also known as the Valley of the Moon. The air temperature on the set reached as much as 47 degrees Celsius. So you won’t envy Matt Damon walking around in a Martian spacesuit! This is not the first time that filmmakers have come to the valley - David Lean filmed “Lawrence of Arabia” here, in 2000 the films “Mission to Mars” and “Red Planet” were filmed in the desert, and Ridley Scott himself has already come here to get material for.
Fact 5. The pre-premiere screening of “The Martian” took place not only at the Toronto Film Festival, but also... in space! NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Scott Kelly were given a special premiere right on board the spacecraft, which made them absolutely delighted. In addition to the space show, the filmmakers gave them another gift by organizing phone conversation starring Matt Damon. Both astronauts read the literary source material and were very pleased with Andy Weir’s book, so such a surprise brought a lot of pleasant impressions.
Fact 6. The four leading actors in The Martian have ties to the MARVEL Cinematic Universe. For example, Kate Mara played the role of Susan Storm in Josh Trank's failed version. Sebastian Stan, Captain America's friend, and Michael Peña. Chiwetel Ejiofor is also included in the cast of the upcoming Doctor Strange, in which he will portray Baron Mordo on screen.
Fact 7. This is not the first time Matt Damon has been saved on screen. In 1998, he played a key role in the film, in which a squad of eight people was put in danger while searching for a surviving comrade. In Damon's hero, Dr. Mann, just like in Ridley Scott's film, finds himself alone on a deserted planet. However, the consequences of his “rescue” were not the most expected. By the way, Jessica Chastain, who played one of the main roles in “The Martian,” also played in Christopher Nolan’s film.
Fact 8. Is it possible to grow potatoes on Mars soil, like Mark Watney did? Scientists' opinions are divided. Some believe that this is a fable and that there are no necessary conditions on the red planet, for example, the necessary sunlight and amount of water. But many scientists confirm this possibility. In particular, NASA representative Bruce Bugbee believes that if Martian soil is placed in a controlled environment, H2O and nutrients are added (the food cycle in nature), then it is quite possible to get a crop.
“The Martian” will remain in wide release for a long time, but don’t waste time and have time to watch one of the best sci-fi films of the year in the cinema!
Many people heard the word SOL for the first time while watching the movie The Martian. In this film, the main character remains on Mars and spends a decent number of years there alone. One day on Mars are calculated by the concept SOL. Martian day bit longer than a day on Earth. One Martian SOL is equal to 24 hours and 39 minutes.
P.S: Alone, the hero of the film The Martian, Mark Watney, spent 500 Martian days on Mars. Many people say that it is impossible to survive on Mars for so long. I agree with this opinion (an ordinary person would go crazy), but in our case we are talking about cinema - and in cinema absolutely everything is possible)
The word Sol has several meanings, but as is clear from the question, we are talking about Martian days. So sol is a Martian day, which is:
Then it turns out that 1 sol is equal to 1.02595675 Earth days. A year on Mars is 669.56 sols or 686.94 Earth days. Source of information: iki.rssi.ru
Sol is a unit of time equal to one solar day on Mars, that is, the average period between the two upper culminations of the daylight. The duration of a sol is 24 hours 39 minutes 35.244 seconds, which is 2.75% longer than an Earth day.
Sol (salt, sol) is 1 Martian day, which lasts 40 minutes longer than Earth's. It may seem like not much, but for those who are used to living according to the usual 24-hour cycle, this will become very noticeable.
Just like we have a day on our planet, the same concept only with a different name Sol on the planet Mars. Only our day includes 24 hours, and in salt it is a little more - 24 hours and 39 minutes. Therefore, 1 year on the planet Mars is equal to 365 * 24.39 = 670 sols (approximately).
Those who watched the movie The Martian are asking this question. This is a unit of time. Sol is a Martian day. They are slightly longer than our earthly ones and are 24 hours, 39 minutes, 35.244 seconds. And what’s even more surprising is that 1 year on Mars is equal to 669.56 sols or 686.94 Earth days.
The question is very multifaceted, because the word Sol has several meanings.
Yes, this word is quite common. male name. For example, Bamba Sol is a famous football player, Sol Spiegelman is an American scientist, biologist, and so on.
Sol is also a beautiful SkyClan cat from Jingo's pack. He is very strong, handsome and powerful.
And this wonderful cat can speak beautifully.
A sol is also the length of one day on the planet Mars, which is 24 hours and 39 minutes. And to be more precise, then
Oh yes, I almost forgot. There is also this word in mythology, or rather, the name. Sol was the god of the ancient Romans. Similar to Janus, but it was an independent god. Sun God.
So, choose the meaning of this word that suits you best).
The word sol came into our reality when a film appeared on our screens called The Martian. The essence of the film is that the hero goes to the planet Mars and lives there in complete isolation for many years. One day on Mars is designated by the concept -sol.
And they are longer than a normal Earth day.
One sol is twenty-four hours and thirty-nine minutes. And in the film The Martian, the hero lived on Mars for only five hundred days according to his calculation. Martian days are almost three percent longer than Earth days.
This kind of time calculation exists on Mars, and now they have begun to use such a word.
Sol is the duration of the average solar Martian day (in the sense of the duration of the average solar day on the planet Mars). The duration of a sol is 24 hours 39 minutes 35.24409 seconds of Earth time, which is 2.7% longer than our Earth day. A year on Mars lasts 668.6 sols (Martian solar days)
Sol is the Martian solar day. The length of a day is 24 hours and 39 minutes. On planet Earth, a day is equal to 24 hours, 3 minutes and 56.5554 seconds.
The concept of Sol was introduced for convenience in operating mode. Those who have been working on the surface of Mars for a long time with various devices.
On Mars, a year lasts 686.94 Earth days or 669.56 sols.
At the moment, abbreviations for the year on the planet Mars have not yet been established, but soon, I think, a suitable name will be found for it.
Here on Earth, we tend to take time for granted, never considering that the increments in which we measure it are quite relative.
For example, the way we measure our days and years is actually a result of our planet's distance from the Sun, the time it takes to revolve around it, and to rotate on its own axis. The same is true for other planets in our solar system. While we Earthlings calculate the day in 24 hours from dawn to dusk, the length of one day on another planet differs significantly. In some cases, it is very short, while in others, it can last more than a year.
Day on Mercury:
Mercury is the closest planet to our Sun, ranging from 46,001,200 km at perihelion (closest distance to the Sun) to 69,816,900 km at aphelion (farthest). Mercury takes 58.646 Earth days to rotate around its axis, meaning that a day on Mercury takes approximately 58 Earth days from dawn to dusk.
However, it takes Mercury only 87,969 Earth days to circle the Sun once (aka its orbital period). This means that a year on Mercury is equivalent to approximately 88 Earth days, which in turn means that one year on Mercury lasts 1.5 Mercury days. Moreover, Mercury's northern polar regions are constantly in shadow.
This is due to its axial tilt of 0.034° (compared to Earth's 23.4°), meaning Mercury does not experience extreme seasonal changes, with days and nights lasting for months, depending on the season. It is always dark at the poles of Mercury.
A day on Venus:
Also known as "Earth's twin", Venus is the second closest planet to our Sun - ranging from 107,477,000 km at perihelion to 108,939,000 km at aphelion. Unfortunately, Venus is also the slowest planet, a fact that is obvious when you look at its poles. Whereas the planets in the solar system experienced flattening at the poles due to their rotational speed, Venus did not survive it.
Venus rotates at a speed of only 6.5 km/h (compared to Earth's rational speed of 1670 km/h), which results in a sidereal rotation period of 243.025 days. Technically, this is minus 243.025 days, since Venus's rotation is retrograde (i.e., spinning in the opposite direction of its orbital path around the Sun).
Nevertheless, Venus still rotates around its axis in 243 Earth days, that is, many days pass between its sunrise and sunset. This may seem strange until you know that one Venusian year lasts 224,071 Earth days. Yes, Venus takes 224 days to complete its orbital period, but more than 243 days to go from dawn to dusk.
Thus, one Venus day is slightly more than a Venusian year! It's good that Venus has other similarities with Earth, but it's clearly not a daily cycle!
Day on Earth:
When we think of a day on Earth, we tend to think of it as simply 24 hours. In truth, the sidereal rotation period of the Earth is 23 hours 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds. So one day on Earth is equivalent to 0.997 Earth days. It's strange, but then again, people prefer simplicity when it comes to time management, so we round up.
At the same time, there are differences in the length of one day on the planet depending on the season. Due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, the amount of sunlight received in some hemispheres will vary. The most striking cases occur at the poles, where day and night can last for several days and even months, depending on the season.
At the North and South Poles in winter period, one night can last up to six months, known as the "polar night". In summer, the so-called “polar day” will begin at the poles, where the sun does not set for 24 hours. It's actually not as simple as I would like to imagine.
A day on Mars:
In many ways, Mars can also be called “Earth’s twin.” Add seasonal variations and water (albeit frozen) to the polar ice cap, and a day on Mars is pretty close to a day on Earth. Mars makes one revolution around its axis in 24 hours. 
37 minutes and 22 seconds. This means that one day on Mars is equivalent to 1.025957 Earth days.
Seasonal cycles on Mars are similar to ours on Earth, more than on any other planet, due to its 25.19° axial tilt. As a result, Martian days experience similar changes with the Sun, which rises early and sets late in the summer and vice versa in the winter.
However, seasonal changes last twice as long on Mars because the Red Planet is at a greater distance from the Sun. This results in a Martian year lasting twice as long as an Earth year—686.971 Earth days or 668.5991 Martian days, or Solas.
Day on Jupiter:
Given the fact that it is the largest planet in the solar system, one would expect the day on Jupiter to be long. But, as it turns out, a day on Jupiter officially lasts only 9 hours, 55 minutes and 30 seconds, which is less than a third of the length of an Earth day. This is due to the fact that the gas giant has a very high rotation speed of approximately 45,300 km/h. This high rotation rate is also one of the reasons why the planet has such strong storms.
Note the use of the word formal. Since Jupiter is not a solid body, its upper atmosphere moves at a different speed than at its equator. Basically, the rotation of Jupiter's polar atmosphere is 5 minutes faster than that of the equatorial atmosphere. Because of this, astronomers use three reference frames.
System I is used in latitudes from 10°N to 10°S, where its rotation period is 9 hours 50 minutes and 30 seconds. System II is applied at all latitudes north and south of them, where the rotation period is 9 hours 55 minutes and 40.6 seconds. System III corresponds to the rotation of the planet's magnetosphere, and this period is used by the IAU and IAG to determine the official rotation of Jupiter (i.e. 9 hours 44 minutes and 30 seconds)
So, if you could theoretically stand on the clouds of a gas giant, you would see the sun rise less than once every 10 hours at any latitude of Jupiter. And in one year on Jupiter, the Sun rises approximately 10,476 times.
Day on Saturn:
The situation of Saturn is very similar to Jupiter. Despite its large size, the planet has an estimated rotation speed of 35,500 km/h. One sidereal rotation of Saturn takes approximately 10 hours 33 minutes, making one day on Saturn less than half an Earth day.
Saturn's orbital period is equivalent to 10,759.22 Earth days (or 29.45 Earth years), with a year lasting approximately 24,491 Saturn days. However, like Jupiter, Saturn's atmosphere rotates at different speeds depending on latitude, requiring astronomers to use three different reference frames.
System I covers the equatorial zones of the South Equatorial Pole and the North Equatorial Belt, and has a period of 10 hours 14 minutes. System II covers all other latitudes of Saturn except the north and south poles, with a rotation period of 10 hours 38 minutes and 25.4 seconds. System III uses radio emissions to measure Saturn's internal rotation rate, which resulted in a rotation period of 10 hours 39 minutes 22.4 seconds.
Using these different systems, scientists have obtained various data from Saturn over the years. For example, data obtained during the 1980s by the Voyager 1 and 2 missions indicated that a day on Saturn is 10 hours, 45 minutes and 45 seconds (±36 seconds).
In 2007, this was revised by researchers in UCLA's Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences, resulting in the current estimate of 10 hours and 33 minutes. Much like Jupiter, the problem with accurate measurements stems from the fact that different parts rotate at different speeds.
Day on Uranus:
As we approached Uranus, the question of how long a day lasts became more complex. On the one hand, the planet has a sidereal rotation period of 17 hours 14 minutes and 24 seconds, which is equivalent to 0.71833 Earth days. Thus, we can say that a day on Uranus lasts almost as long as a day on Earth. This would be true if it were not for the extreme tilt of the axis of this gas-ice giant.
With an axial tilt of 97.77°, Uranus essentially revolves around the Sun on its side. This means that its north or south faces directly towards the Sun at different time orbital period. When it is summer at one pole, the sun will shine continuously there for 42 years. When the same pole is turned away from the Sun (that is, it is winter on Uranus), there will be darkness there for 42 years.
Therefore, we can say that one day on Uranus, from sunrise to sunset, lasts as long as 84 years! In other words, one day on Uranus lasts as long as one year.
Also, as with other gas/ice giants, Uranus rotates faster at certain latitudes. Therefore, while the planet's rotation at the equator, approximately 60° south latitude, is 17 hours and 14.5 minutes, the visible features of the atmosphere move much faster, completing a complete rotation in just 14 hours.
Day on Neptune:
Finally, we have Neptune. Here, too, measuring one day is somewhat more complicated. For example, Neptune's sidereal rotation period is approximately 16 hours, 6 minutes and 36 seconds (equivalent to 0.6713 Earth days). But due to its gas/ice origin, the planet's poles replace each other faster than the equator.
Considering that the planet's magnetic field rotates at a rate of 16.1 hours, the equatorial zone rotates approximately 18 hours. Meanwhile, the polar regions rotate within 12 hours. This differential rotation is brighter than any other planet in the Solar System, resulting in strong latitudinal wind shear.
In addition, the planet's axial tilt of 28.32° leads to seasonal variations similar to those on Earth and Mars. Neptune's long orbital period means that a season lasts for 40 Earth years. But since its axial tilt is comparable to Earth's, the change in the length of its day over its long year is not so extreme.
As you can see from this summary of the various planets in our solar system, the length of the day depends entirely on our frame of reference. In addition, the seasonal cycle varies depending on the planet in question and where on the planet the measurements are taken.
